Pulitzer Center Update July 1, 2026
Chicago Teachers Connect Through Global Stories on Youth-Led Advocacy
“I absolutely loved all the activities we did, like the gallery walk with the sticky notes, reading the articles, and answering the questions in the circles," Neala Berkowski, of Vaughn Occupational High School, said. "I also liked that I felt like I could replicate what we did in this session with my students and facilitate them to make connections between what they’re reading and themselves.”
Berkowski was among the 18 Chicago educators who met on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, to attend a discussion-based event focused on global news stories about youth-led advocacy. This event was designed to be a reflective space for educators to connect at the end of the school year by exploring the following questions:
- How can we see ourselves and our students in global stories of student resistance and advocacy?
- How can reporting about global student activism and community engagement be revitalizing for ourselves and our communities?
Through a series of individual reflection and group discussion activities, participants explored how shifts in political, cultural, and socioeconomic structures have galvanized youth voice and civil participation, finding connections between the experiences of Chicago students and young people from New York, Montana, Puerto Rico, and Chile.
In these stories, young people contend with issues like war, gun violence, climate change, and rising political conservatism.
According to a closing survey, 100% of attendees found the event engaging and would recommend the event to other educators. The survey also found that 94% of attendees saw themselves and their students in the reporting, and 100% of participants would be interested in attending another event focused on leveraging reporting to build connection and community.
When asked what attendees liked most about this workshop, participants shared their thoughts.
“I liked the interactive elements of reading and discussing poignant topics.” – Edward C. Davis IV, Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy High School
“Time to engage with the images, quotes, and tables through the gallery walk, followed by a demonstration of how to read articles closely with students.” – Erica Nathan-Gamauf, Loyola Academy
“The calm setting, the kindness, the supportive tone, the ways I can use what I learned in a real way in my classroom.” – Bridget Beaupre, Pritzker Elementary
When asked about how they plan to use the reporting or the discussion strategies, teachers said the following.
“Making global connections to local concerns in this case feels like it would flow pretty naturally. The circle would be a great strategy for my ELA classroom in literary analysis.” – Shannon Cate, Julian High School
“The discussion techniques are a great way to get my students' point of view and to help them feel heard.” – Celina Martinez, Bridge Elementary School
“[I plan to] use the questions in my class for my students to become critical thinkers.” – Shylonda Walls, Barbara A. Sizemore Academy
“[I plan to] encourage my students to advocate for their communities." – Charese Munoz, Beasley Academic Center
“The article I read about interventions for violence in Puerto Rico would be so relevant to my students, especially since there’s an explicit connection to Chicago. I would love to re-create a modified circles graphic organizer and have students use it to work on reading comprehension and making connections.” – Neala Berkowski, Vaughn Occupational High School
The event was held at the Chicago Public Schools office in Bridgeport and supported by the Julian Grace Foundation. It was the first of our Reporting for Reflection and Connection initiative, a series designed for educators to reflect and connect through Pulitzer Center news stories. The second Reporting for Reflection and Connection event will take place on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, and focus on exploring a local criminal justice story. Register for the event now before the deadline on July 9, 2026.
Read more about past Chicago workshops that explored racial justice and labor rights, artificial intelligence, and civic engagement.
