First Person

Update from the Director

�Everyone who works with adolescents should see this film�it renewed my faith that young people are reachable if the right approach is used.�

So said graduate students in the Social Work program at Widener University after a recent First Person screening and workshop. For us, these words say it all. First Person is pleased to continue reaching audiences who hunger to hear directly from young people themselves.

In addition, we are thrilled to announce another partnership with an organization working to improve public education. To learn more about our participation in the Pennsylvania Education Funding Reform Campaign, see Get Involved, at right.

And, most excitingly, First Person is near completion on an expanded outreach model in which teams of youth will become experts on the postsecondary support networks in their own schools and communities. Look for more information in the coming months. Improving access to college can't happen without the involvement of young people themselves!

Benjamin Herold
Director
First Person

Video Clip of the Week

In this week's clip, Macho discusses his return to his neighborhood high school after being expelled from a prestigious college prep program.

First Person Video Gallery

Student Voices

"My best friend just got shot and murdered..." Tragically, the gun violence that has been decimating Philadelphia again hit close to home. Steve's poignant, painful account of losing his best friend provides a window into the terrible impact that each act of violence radiates throughout our community. Take the time to read Steve's words and other student blogs, and take a second to leave your comments and questions so that our young people can know that they are being heard.

First Person Student Blogs

Get Involved

First Person is proud to feature our new partnership with the Pennsylvania Education Funding Reform Campaign, a joint project of The Education Law Center, the Education Policy and Leadership Center, and Good Schools Pennsylvania. The campaign aims to create a state finance system that provides all children with the resources needed for an excellent public education. In 2006, it supported the approval and funding of a comprehensive study to determine the cost of a quality education for every student in Pennsylvania--the first step toward major funding reform. First Person is proud to support this Campaign by sharing our students' stories of underfunding in Philadelphia schools. Check out First Person's contributions and share your story.

Learn more about our other organizational partners and support quality education in Philadelphia!