Can The Humanities Make Workforce Development Better? Yes, Says Penn’s Netter Center.

The students were part of a new twist on Pennsylvania Humanities Council’s Teen Reading Lounge program. At over 80 sites across the state, the program’s model has focused on young people deeply discussing both traditional and contemporary literature, inspiring creative and civic engagement projects. Youth experiencing poverty in both rural and urban communities have had a particularly strong connection to the experience.

The Netter Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania wanted to take that approach and try something a little different at West Philadelphia High School.  

Instead of focusing on Young Adult novels, comic books, and other literature, the teens dug into the New York Times business section, debated the ethics of soda tax regulations, and watched inspiring TED Talks. Deep, engaging discussions were still there but the creative projects were focused on business or social entrepreneurship plans and there was an added internship experience at a local business.

Read the full article here.