Urban Tech GHGS Module Components

An equity research sales professional in New York City, Janina Casey stands out as an active philanthropist who has has mentored and sponsored two high school students through four years of private school. Janina Casey also supports fundraisers for Urban Tech and was recently added to the organization’s board.

Urban Tech, also known as the National Urban Technology Center, prepares students for the 21st century by improving education through unique learning strategies. The organization accomplishes this through numerous programs, such as Get Healthy, Get Smart! (GHGS), a holistic wellness program that increases awareness of childhood obesity in middle schools and high schools in New York City. The program operates under the rubric of Urban Tech’s Youth Leadership Academy (YLA) and consists of lessons related to self discovery, conflict resolution, and personal relationships.

Each module within GHGS consists of several activities. Most students first watch an animated short film about the theme. These videos feature characters that students can relate to and provide questions about personal growth and problem-solving. Once students have watched the video, they can review specific parts that have been chosen by YLA Team Leaders as a lesson focus. These portions highlight specific issues and help students learn strategies for effective communication. 

GHGS also features a writing, game, and quiz component. The writing activity serves as a journal that allows students to express their views and reinforce the lessons. The game activity uses role playing and puzzle games to encourage group work, and the quiz component measures how well students retain the information they learn over the course of the module.