RAINIER BEACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ TOWN HALL EVENT
Town Hall: Student Voices on Transportation & Education
An evening of storytelling and collective action
When: Thursday October 22nd 6-8 PM
Where: Rainier Beach High School, Performing Arts Center
8815 Seward Park Ave S. Seattle, WA 98115
Who: Students, Parents, Teachers, Administrators, Media, Elected Officials & Community Advocates
What: A creative exchange to hear student stories of how transportation affects their education.
The students of Rainier Beach High School invite you to join them for an inspiring, collaborative Town Hall event on education and transportation justice on October 22, 2015 at 6pm at Rainier Beach High School Performing Arts Center. This summer, as part of a six-week program of the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools, 130 Rainier Valley scholars ages 5-18 organized a march from Seattle Public Schools Headquarters to City Hall to draw public awareness to the lack of transportation access in their community (see Kiro7 coverage of the event here). The current 2-mile walk zone policy of the Seattle School District has a disparate impact on low-income, marginalized communities and compromises student safety. Rainier Beach High School is located in the most violent neighborhood in Seattle, and the school district’s walk-zone policy exposes students to constant risk.
Once considered the worst school in Seattle, Rainier Beach students and faculty are tirelessly working to positively impact student outcomes by implementing more academic and social supports －and their measures prove unequivocally successful: “No marker is more stunning than Beach’s 25-point increase in graduation rates since 2011. Last spring, 79 percent of seniors left with a diploma — better than the 74 percent district average”. –The Seattle Times
This is particularly astounding in light of current Rainier Beach High School demographics:
- 95% students of color
- 50 languages spoken
- 73% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch
These successful, diverse Rainier Valley youth are calling for the public to “SEE ME. MY RAINIER BEACH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ TOWN HALL EVENT | Seattle Education:
