Gesu School’s 18th Annual Symposium on Transforming Inner-City Education
Tragedies and Current Events: Helping Students Understand What They See, Read, and Hear in the News

“We want our children to be curious learners and critical thinkers,” said Gesu School President and CEO, Bryan Carter, to set the context for the 2015 Symposium—Tragedies and Current Events: Helping Students Understand What They See, Read, and Hear in the News.

With today’s technology, school-aged students are exposed to mass media with intense subject matter. What are the psychological effects? How can educators teach news literacy? What protocols can schools implement to help students cope when tragic events are reported? The 2015 Symposium addressed these probing questions, with prominent speakers delivering TED-style talks to an audience of teachers, education administrators, legislators, and supporters of inner-city education. 

• Read the event’s synopsis 
• View the program and the speakers' biographies
• Read media coverage of the event by KYW NewsRadio and CBS Philly – John McDevitt 
• Read media coverage of the event by CatholicPhilly.com
• View the event photos on the Gesu Facebook page 
• View video footage on the Gesu YouTube page

Speakers

Mary McNaughton-Cassill, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, University of Texas at San Antonio
Topic: The Psychology of Media Impact

Michael A. Spikes
Director, Digital Resource Center
Center for News Literacy, Stony Brook University
Topic: Teaching News Literacy

Dana Weeks
Head of School, Germantown Friends School
Topic: School Protocols to Address Tragic Events

Moderator

Taunya English
WHYY Senior Health Writer for "The Pulse," WHYY's weekly radio show on health, science, and innovation

We thank our 2015 Symposium sponsors

PRESENTING SPONSORS

Daryl Shore '94, Mark & Paula Solomon
The Ehret Family, in honor of Vivienne Ehret
Janney

Valedictorian Sponsors
James & Diane Brecker
Morgan Lewis
Susan & Richard Tressider 
Craig White
 

Salutatorian Sponsors

CVS Health
Locust Capital Management LLC
Glenmede
Philadelphia School Partnership
The Shipley School 
St. Joseph's Prep
Well Fargo

Graduate Sponsor

Richard & Mary Cornelius