Urban Tech’s Dignity for All Program Addresses Bullying

New York-based financial executive Janina Casey possesses more than a decade of experience in research and equity sales. A dedicated philanthropist, Janina Casey mentored and sponsored two underprivileged high school students and was recently added to the board of the National Urban Technology Center (Urban Tech).

As part of its effort to help students realize their value to society, Urban Tech maintains Dignity For All (DFA), a bullying prevention and supportive schools program. Through the use of role-playing, storytelling, and popular culture, this program inspires critical reflection and discussion among students to create a more compassionate society.

DFA consists of three quests: Attitude Shift: How Reflection and Empathy Can Change Your Life, Knowledge Acquisition: Understanding Bullying, and Behavior Transformation: Creating Reflective and Restorative Communities. These three quests help students break down the issues surrounding bullying. Each quest also teaches skills that promote a supportive and safe culture in students’ schools through a combination of interactive tools and workbooks.

In addition to these three quests, DFA hosts regular panel discussions for students. During these panels, students are free to talk with their teachers, classmates, and facilitators about bullying problems. Students are encouraged to share their own experiences with bullying and talk about possible solutions to bullying problems. Meanwhile, panel facilitators use guided questioning to help students recognize the relationship between their decisions and views, and learn to modify their behavior.

Springsteen on Broadway - an Intimate and Intense Performance

Janina Casey, a respected presence in the New York financial community, engages in fundraising with the technology- and education-centered nonprofit Urban Tech. An actress in her youth, Janina Casey has performed in musicals and still enjoys seeing theatrical productions. 

One sell-out Broadway show that has garnered recognition in the New York Times as an “overwhelming and uncategorizable” Critics Pick is Springsteen on Broadway. Performed in an intimate theater, the show presents the legendary American singer/songwriter virtually solo and singing songs from his pop, rock, and folk catalog.

In a meditative performance described as "burning with quiet intensity," Springsteen unearths obscurities and transforms his chart-toppers, as with a downbeat acoustic rendition of Dancing in the Dark. In Born in the USA, instead of emphasizing the chorus, Springsteen sings with an emphasis on the bleak lyrics of a veteran having trouble adapting to civilian life after serving in Vietnam.

New Stage Adaption of Frozen Presents a Darker Vision with More Music

New York professional Janina Casey has an extensive background in equity research and sales and appeared in a number of commercials and theatrical productions as a child actor. To this day, Janina Casey maintains an interest in the theater and current Broadway productions. 

A recent New York Times review brought focus to a new “pre-Broadway tryout” production of Frozen at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Following in the footsteps of successful Disney film-to-Broadway productions such as the Lion King, the musical is based on Frozen, a $1.3 billion behemoth that stands as the world’s highest-ever grossing animated feature. 

One major change is that a dozen songs written by Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez have been brought into the theatrical production. These songs were not included in the movie, which featured seven of the songwriters’ compositions. This results in a “nearly sung-through” first act that uses music to flesh in characters and relationships that were not delineated in as many fine strokes in the movie. 

As reviewed, the adaption faces struggles in capturing the magic that seemed effortless on the screen. In another change, the movie presents a darker take on the central narrative, with gloomy sets mirroring the harsh Norwegian landscape and the inner turmoil portrayed.

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.