NEW YORK, June 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The High School for Global Citizenship (HSGC), an innovative small high school in Brooklyn, and its lead partner, Global Kids, Inc., announce the graduation of its second senior class on Friday, June 26th. The school has won praise as one of New York City's leading new small high schools by taking students from underserved communities and engaging them first-hand in the democratic process through activities with a strong emphasis on foreign policy issues and the connections between their personal lives and international events.
The commencement ceremony will be held at 9.45 a.m. on June 26, at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, near the HSGC school building, in the Prospect Park neighborhood. The museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway and can be reached by the 2 or 3 subway to Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum.
Kevin Powell, a political activist, writer and entertainment host and producer, will be the keynote speaker. Mr. Powell has authored a number of works on freedom, democracy, justice, and race in America, and in 2008, stood as a Democratic candidate for Congress in Brooklyn. The event will also feature song and poetry performances by students.
The success of the High School for Global Citizenship in developing engaged, globally aware future leaders is personified by this year's valedictorian, Sabienne Brutus.
In addition to being the school's valedictorian this year, Sabienne was recently featured in the Daily News' "Five Grads who Beat the Odds," as a stellar student who has overcome immense obstacles to complete high school.
Sabienne is one of four daughters being raised independently by her mother in Crown Heights. She came to HSGC at the beginning of her freshman year, when her family moved from Haiti to escape the country's political instability and get treatment for her eldest sister, who was diagnosed with cancer.
Despite encountering multiple barriers to success, including being made fun of for her strong Haitian accent, Sabienne contributed greatly to the school environment, quickly becoming a leader amongst her peers. With Global Kids, Sabienne has participated in such international affairs education programs as Leadership, Young Women's Health, and the Human Rights Activist Project, and has traveled nationally and internationally to Boston, Washington D.C. and Chile. Sabienne has engaged in numerous other school activities, including the Model U.N., Track, the Student Government and the School Leadership Team. For all of her work, Sabienne was a recipient of The Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award, which honors Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service.
Speaking of her experience at HSGC, Sabienne says: "HSGC and Global Kids have taught me how to be a global thinker. I stay informed of what is happening around the world, and I teach others about it. I feel that because I am informed, I am also responsible for positive change, and I can and do take action to make that change happen."
In September, Sabienne will attend Tufts University, to pursue a degree in International Relations. She chose Tufts for its strong program in International Relations, and the myriad opportunities it provides students to study abroad.
The High School for Global Citizenship, now in its fifth year, is developing into a leading laboratory for international education and youth leadership development. More than 85% of the school's population is eligible for free or reduced lunch and the overwhelming majority enters below grade level in math and reading. However, HSGC students are succeeding academically and participating in an impressive array of extra-curricular activities. They regularly interact with business leaders, ambassadors, and other global leaders; they have presented at United Nations conferences; they have traveled to Africa, Europe, the Middle East and South America; and they organize impressive events in their communities to raise awareness about critical global issues.
About HSGC -- http://hs-gc.org
The High School for Global Citizenship is a community of active learners and problem solvers who are engaged participants in a multidisciplinary and experiential approach to learning both in and outside of the classroom. The school is committed to both academic achievement at the highest standards and to the promotion of diversity, justice, human rights, and the democratic process.
About Global Kids, Inc. -- www.globalkids.org
Founded in 1989, Global Kids' mission is to inspire and educate urban youth to become successful students and global and community leaders by engaging them in socially dynamic, content-rich learning experiences. Through its leadership development and academic enrichment programs, Global Kids educates youth about critical international and domestic issues and promotes their engagement in civic life and the democratic process. Through professional development initiatives, Global Kids provides educators with strategies for integrating experiential learning methods and international issues into urban classrooms. Over ninety percent of the high school seniors who participate in Global Kids' leadership programs graduate from high school.