Banyan Global Hosts International Youth Day 2019 Panel Discussion
On August 9, 2019 Banyan Global hosted a panel discussion titled Transforming Education: Creating Alternative Pathways for Youth to Succeed in Washington, DC to celebrate International Youth Day. Alternative pathways for youth has been part of Banyan Global’s evolving youth-focused workforce development programs, and was treated as an important learning opportunity on the overall theme of International Youth Day 2019, Transforming Education.
To address this theme, the panel discussed how organizations and schools can provide alternative education pathways for youth to succeed in the workforce. Panelists included representatives and youth from local organizations and schools to help make connections between how education is adapting to the ever-changing needs of youth and the workforce both in DC and abroad, including the Empleando Futuros project implemented by Banyan Global in Honduras.
Dr. Jacqueline Fernandez-Romero, Principal of the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC) Career Academy Public Charter School, was accompanied by Imani Strong, a young woman who is enrolled in the academy’s IT program. They were joined by Dr. Catherine Honeyman from World Learning and high school student Mia Lazar, a former participant in a World Learning virtual exchange program. Dr. Benjamin Williams, Principal of the Ron Brown College Preparatory High School and two of the school’s students, Maurice Moore and Donovan Phelps, were also on the panel. David Morgan, Banyan Global Program Officer in the Gender and Youth Practice and Taylor Bloch, Banyan Global Youth Intern, served as moderators.
Participants learned about each organization’s work and how they adapt to the ever-changing needs of the workforce while also creating safe spaces for youth to grow into successful and happy employees. Banyan Global is pleased to continue celebrating International Youth Day by connecting the successes and challenges of international youth programs with those of US-based programs, so that our collective effort of reaching youth will have a broader impact.