In 2004, Razia Jan set out on a quest to provide an education to girls in Afghanistan. Watch this video about how an amazing woman brought hope to so many girls.
Tag Archives: Culture & Society
Cure Violence
Explore the website of Cure Violence, the parent organization of CeaseFire Chicago, to find out more about Gary Slutkin’s approach to preventing violence.
The Battered Old Car That Drove My Father’s American Dream
For one child of immigrants, a hated car symbolized the difficulty of adjusting to a new life in the United States. Journalist Joanna Kikissis shares her story.
Super Role Model
Read about the ups and downs of Wonder Woman, a comic book character created to raise the self-esteem of girls.
Victory Over Violence
A program in an ethnically mixed borough in England trains teenagers to teach younger children nonviolent methods of resolving racial confict.
What Happy Teenagers Do Differently
The author of this article argues that healthy risk-taking can prepare teenagers to lead happy, successful lives.
What Is Democracy?
Almost everyone knows that the United States is a democracy. So what? Why does that matter? Read this article to learn one teen’s answer. Discover how our system of government helps make it possible for our many, many voices to be heard.
Little Rock Central High School: National Historic Site
In 1957, nine students in Arkansas decided that they would attend Little Rock Central High School. Their decision led to big changes all over the United States. Visit this National Park Service site to find out how and why.
From Walden to the White House
In this blog entry, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, explains why his organization is undertaking its first campaign of civil disobedience.
The Emotional Lives of Animals
Have you ever wondered if your pet has emotions? What connections do animals feel to people and to other animals? Read this excerpt from Marc Bekoff’s book The Emotional Lives of Animals. Then, explore the site for the PBS film Animal Odd Couples to learn about the special bonds animals form with unlikely partners.
Soccer Helping Young Refugees Find Footing in U.S.
Refugees to the United States left their home countries under duress. This article and short video describe a program in California that uses soccer to help refugee children heal from their past and adapt to a new culture.
Joseph Kim: The Family I Lost in North Korea. And the Family I Gained.
As a teen, Joseph Kim escaped alone from North Korea. Listen to his inspiring story as he remembers the family he lost and the family he gained in the United States.
In Search of America: One Nation, Indivisible
For his book The Longest Road, Philip Caputo and his family drove across America to discover what binds us together. Read an excerpt from his book about what he discovers in Grand Island, Nebraska. Then, click on the link to view photos from life in this Midwestern town.
What Happened to the Two Other Men on Paul Revere’s Ride?
Although their own “midnight” rides were as important as that of Paul Revere, the efforts of William Dawes, Samuel Prescott, and others have sometimes been forgotten. Read this exciting history of what happened that famous April night in 1775. You may not realize just how many people it took to spread the news that the British were coming.
The Day the Universe Changed
With each new gadget, tech companies declare that everything has changed. Whether that’s true will remain to be seen, of course. Looking back, though, it’s far easier to see clearly what discoveries and inventions really did change everything. In this fascinating 10-part series, James Burke examines the advances that altered our world.
Why Seeing (the Unexpected) Is Often Not Believing
If you were walking in the park, talking on a cell phone, you’d notice a clown riding by on a unicycle, right? The surprising answer is, not necessarily. On this multimedia page, award-winning science reporter Alix Spiegel explores the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, in which we miss seeing something obvious but unexpected.
Wikipedia Bumps Women from “American Novelists” Category
A scandal erupted when editors of an online encyclopedia removed the names of women from its American novelists page and put them into a separate all-women subcategory.
Mark Bezos: A Life Lesson from a Volunteer Firefighter
When ordered to “save” a pair of shoes from a fire, volunteer firefighter Mark Bezos felt terribly disappointed. After all, he had wanted to be a hero. Find out why he now thinks that we all should decide to get out there—and save the shoes.
Who Takes Risks?
Many people assume that men are more likely to take risks than women or that teens are the most likely engage in risky behavior. But this press release issued by the Association for Psychological Science suggests otherwise.
Why We Protest
Learn about crowd psychology and the nature of protests by examining the Occupy Wall Street movement.