Academics and Research

DU team helps South High students make change in their community

Video: Fox31

Every Thursday in a classroom at South High School, University of Denver students and faculty meet with high school students to share ideas and explore technology.

“The students from South have the opportunity to learn how to use media to make a difference in their community, and the University of Denver students have the opportunity to work with a very diverse community that represents the future demographics of the Denver area and beyond,” says Lynn Schofield Clark, a professor in the University’s Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies who leads the Digital Media Club.

See more videos in the Fox31 “Transforming Passion Into Purpose” series at du.edu/explore

That kind of collaboration is what inspired their project “South Students for Justice.” Participants wanted to use media to make a difference in the relationship between students of color and members of the law-enforcement community.

“It was super interesting to talk to the kids and [hear] their perspectives on the police, and we were trying to discuss how to communicate to police how we want to be treated as students,” says DU senior Mackenzie Dykes.

With the guidance of DU students and faculty, South High School students interviewed Denver police and used social media, video and podcasts to share their results.

“The way they portray it in the media, it’s like all police are bad,” says Richard Boating, a student at South High School. “But getting to talk to them was really interesting.”

The program also allows DU students to teach high school students how to harness their voice on social media.

“It’s really wonderful to bring together a partnership like this, and to see students who can thrive in developing new relationships and to invest themselves in the community in new ways,” Clark says.

 

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