City launches curriculum addition highlighting student safety
Organizers say through the Goya Cares Initiative, the "Stay Smart, Stay Safe" initiative aims to help students identify issues and address them.
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The New York City Department of Education partnered with Goya Foods and The Monique Burr Foundation to launch weekly programming in nearly 100 city schools geared toward safety education.
Organizers say through the Goya Cares Initiative, the "Stay Smart, Stay Safe" initiative aims to help students identify issues and address them.
They say the curriculum, developed by The Monique Burr Foundation, is evidence-based and trauma-informed.
Goya's data shows the initiative has served more than 100,00 students across the city, and more than 1 million students nationwide.
NYC Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos visited M.S. 129 in East Tremont to visit a classroom of sixth graders during their lesson.
"This curriculum is empowering our young people to identify it, to combat it, and to support each other," said Chancellor Ramos.
Lessons focus on tackling issues facing the next generation of leaders, including online safety, addressing digital dangers, and cyberbullying.
The lesson plan consists of video examples, written reflection and powerful class discussions."It's so hard to navigate and protect our kids from social media. There are so many benefits to it, but there's so many dangers," said Tanya Ramos Puig, CEO of The Monique Burr Foundation.
Educators say students have the framework of the program, which is five safety rules, memorized.
"We want our students to always be able to advocate for themselves and understand that, whether its sixth grade, or eighth grade, you have power and that power is your voice," said M.S. 129 Principal Jason Reyes.
Teachers told News 12 the program is very well received by students.
"They tell us to not be ashamed. And if there's something we need to talk about, to talk it up with someone in the school or outside," said a sixth grader named Amy.
