Freedom School – National Day of Social Action
As CDF Freedom Schools concludes its fourth summer at St. Luke’s, we celebrate another powerful season of learning, growth, and community. This milestone would not have been possible without the incredible dedication of our volunteers—those who gave their time, energy, and financial support to help make this program a success.
The National Day of Social Action (NDSA) is a cornerstone of the CDF Freedom Schools program, reflecting its deep commitment to empowering young people as agents of change. This year’s theme, Public Action for Public Good, invited scholars to critically explore issues they care about and consider how advocacy can drive positive change. At St. Luke’s, our Servant Leader Interns guided scholars through thoughtful discussions and research on topics ranging from education to community safety. On July 23rd, scholars presented their ideas in a public forum, joining Freedom Schools across the country in a unified call for justice and equity. One powerful highlight was a speech delivered by one of our scholars on the critical differences between public and private education—underscoring the importance of equitable access for all. This day reminded us that youth voices matter, and when nurtured, they can lead movements for lasting impact. Read the transcript of his powerful speech below:
“Hi my name is Xavier White and I am here to talk to you about what public education means to me, but first I have to give you a bit of background about myself. I am the oldest son and sibling out of three children and I have a loving and supportive mom
I currently attend a public school and I will be heading into the 6th grade this upcoming school year, which I am excited for but also nervous. Although, when I was younger I attended a private school from Pre-K to 2nd grade. My experience in the environment of a private school was different, there were different rules and expectations. I got to learn French which was a thing I never experienced or seen offered as a language course in my public school besides Spanish and I only received the opportunity to learn Spanish because I was in “ High ability”. Another thing that was different was the food. At my private school the meals were more well balanced and healthy. Things that I saw inside my private school were a lot more updated and brand new, from the carpets to the bathrooms a lot of things were fresher and cleaner. Even the classrooms were more decorated.
As to my experience in a public school I would never say it was bad because it was very fun and that is where I met all of my closest friends that I have to this day, but I don’t see the expectations and rules that they have enforced enough to keep everyone safe and I feel that needs to change. The subjects that I learned were Math, Reading, Writing, and Social Studies. Out of all those subjects Social Studies really taught me something that made me want to learn more.
When we talk about our rights to education it is cited that it should be for everyone which means no matter the background. It shall be free and equally accessible to ALL, which means it shouldn’t matter how much or how little income someone's family may have for everyone to be able to obtain access to education. The world is already hard enough we cannot sit idle; it is our responsibility to protect our rights! That is what education means to me. Thank you for listening.”
Submitted by Seema Mernitz