Arnetta Kroger describes her high school social issues class as “an opportunity to empower students, expose them to real world issues that are going on, develop their voice and work for change in their community.”
She shares her passion for civics with her students in real world experiences through which they learn how it works for citizens to have a voice in their government. She takes her students to the state capitol to learn how to lobby on Youth Action Day as part of Colorado Youth Matters. Some of her students have been participating in these programs for three years.
In this program, students identify an issue they want to work on so they have a real application for their learning about how government works and how to affect policy. They learn about the influences on lawmakers–“what democracy looks like in truth.” They learn about how to talk with legislators in real life, about power and speaking truth to power.
When high school students across Denver were walking out in protest of the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO, they came to her with their thoughts about organizing. She told them they needed to think about “why you want to walk out–have your goal in mind.” They were clear about the basics of why they were marching. They understood the power of being part of a movement with other students across the city.
Arnetta says, “My babies. They know. That keeps me going.”