Our second senior is Lena Walker, who is doing amazing fieldwork/research exploring education and special needs. Here’s her update: I’ve been meeting some (super) cool people. And I’ve been getting to know a lot about autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities by talking and meeting with parents and students and teachers, and by spending time with [...]
Archive for the ‘Activism’ Category
Senior Projects: Researching Research in Education
Posted in Activism, Community, Community Service, Senior Projects on May 25, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Senior Projects: Use the F.O.R.C.E., Burke
Posted in Activism, Community, Community Service, Senior Projects on May 24, 2010 | 1 Comment »
With graduation just days away, all the rites of passages begin…Senior Prank (see below), Senior Trip, Senior Send-off…and now, a new offering: SENIOR PROJECTS! For two weeks after AP’s, seniors can now choose to undertake their own self-designed adventures. In its pilot year, 5 brave seniors have decided to be the pioneers in what will [...]
Our Last Night and Why It’s Important to Keep on Giving to New Orleans.
Posted in Activism, Community Service, Environment, History on March 26, 2010 | 1 Comment »
On our last night in New Orleans, the 19 students and 6 faculty of this year’s Service trip are taking some time to reflect on our experiences. Seeing the lower 9th ward – with some new construction from Habitat for Humanity and the Make it Right Project, but also many houses still in a state [...]
Understanding Katrina and the Levees breaking
Posted in Activism, Community Service, Education, Environment on March 26, 2010 | 1 Comment »
I’m writing from the McKendrick-Breaux House, the B&B the 2010 NOLA trip is staying at in the beautiful Garden District. It’s been an amazing trip (i’ll be sure you all get to see some of the 100′s of photos we’ve taken along the way) but I wanted to highlight one event we had yesterday, that [...]
Burke Partners with Atlas Performing Arts Center for the DC Premiere of the Documentary “ Prep School Negro”
Posted in Activism, Community, Performing Arts on March 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
On Friday, March 5th, Edmund Burke School hosted the D.C. premiere of the film, “Prep School Negro”, at the Atlas Performing Arts Center as part of its Intersections New America Arts Festival. Members of the Burke community as well as others from area independent schools attended the event. The film focuses on the experiences of [...]
5 Years Strong for NOLA-Day 5 of Burke Service Week 2010
Posted in Activism, Community Service, tagged new orleans on March 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Burke remains committed to not only rebuilding New Orleans, but making sure that the story of Katrina is told in its full complexity, from the botched response to the tales of hopes, survival and resilience. We have traveled to New Orleans for five years now, and in two weeks, 19 students and six faculty will [...]
A Place for Friendship-Day 4 of Burke Service Week 2010
Posted in Activism, Community Service on March 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
I’m currently teaching a trimester class required of all Juniors called Activism. At Burke, Activism is about giving the students a space to think about their values, and to put those values in action through service. We start the class by focusing on homelessness, a topic that is increasingly pressing in both locally and nationally [...]
The Home Built by Humanity
Posted in Activism, Community, Community Service, tagged Community Service on December 12, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Burke has had a Habitat for Humanity Club Chapter since early 2008 (thanks Max!), and today held one of its most successful and well attended build days yet, with 19 people (a new record!) from the Burke community showing up to help. An amazing mix of parents, students and faculty contributed on this beautifully clear [...]
Abolition Day At Burke
Posted in Activism, Community, Education, History, Math on December 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Abolition Day Assembly was the culmination of several weeks of work by students throughout the school to research and learn more about Modern Day Slavery. We heard poetry written to express the truth about prostitution and watched a YouTube video created to publicize the horrors and the reality of human trafficking. Another student talked [...]
Talent for Doing Good
Posted in Activism, Community, Community Service, Performing Arts, tagged Community, Community Service, music on November 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
In the 1930′s Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney made a series of movies with the ticket-selling battle cry: “Let’s put on a show!!” Last month’s Open Mic Night did Rooney & Garland one better. Earlier this fall, 8th grade student, Julia O., had the idea to have a Burke talent show to benefit Rachel’s Women’s [...]
Abolition Day December 2, 2009
Posted in Activism, Community, Community Service, History on October 22, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
“If you thought slavery had been abolished for good with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, you’re not alone. Most people don’t know that today the buying and selling of humans is the second most profitable illicit trade in the world. It is estimated that more than 27 million people are currently held in some [...]
Burke Fights Human Trafficking
Posted in Activism, Community, Education, History, tagged Community on October 8, 2009 | 1 Comment »
Yesterday at lunch, we were visited by Mr. Robert Benz and Mr. Ken Morris from the Frederick Douglas Family Foundation (www.fdff.org). Mr. Morris is a direct descendant of Frederick Douglas and Booker T. Washington, and is using his influence to raise awareness of modern day slavery through reaching out to schools. It was incredible to [...]


