Department of City Planning (DCP) Director Dan Garodnick announced Thursday that 70 high school seniors from The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology (MSHS223) in the Bronx graduated from DCP’s youth engagement curriculum course, which aims to support young people in becoming civic leaders and advocates in their communities.
“The civic leaders of tomorrow are being shaped today in our classrooms,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “I applaud the Department of City Planning for its continued investment in our young people and giving them the tools to build the city they want to see.”
“When we empower more voices to participate in planning, we make sure that our neighborhoods work for everyone, including our youth,” said Maria Torres-Springer, deputy mayor for economic and workforce development. “I want to congratulate the seniors from The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology on completing this youth engagement curriculum and thank the Department of City Planning’s Community Planning and Engagement team.”
At the student fair, seniors presented their final projects directly to elected officials, including Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, New York City Council Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala and leadership from Mayor Eric Adams’ administration, including Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. Their projects focused on solutions to their chosen topics of affordable housing, transportation and sustainability and resiliency.
“Our city needs to work for all New Yorkers, from our youth to our seniors and everyone in between. Young people growing up in New York City have a unique perspective on their neighborhoods, and their voices matter in discussions about the future of this city,” said Carrión. “Thanks to DCP and the Laboratory School of Finance & Technology for empowering our youth to advocate for their interests — this is the next generation of community leaders and decision-makers.”
Shepherded by DCP’s recently created Community Planning and Engagement division, which is dedicated to putting communities at the forefront of planning conversations about the future of their neighborhoods, the youth engagement curriculum included around 70 students split between three classes. Two of them were jointly led by DCP and MSHS223 staff while the third was led by the school’s teachers — all three using the same curriculum DCP co-created with the teachers. All graduating students received a certificate of Youth Engagement — Urban Planning Pilot Program.
“Congratulations to all the high school seniors of The Laboratory School of Finance and Technology MSHS 223 who successfully completed the Department of City Planning’s youth engagement curriculum course,” said Gibson. “When you involve our youth at an early age in real-world projects and developments that address sustainability, transportation and affordable housing, they are not only becoming informed citizens but are also more equipped to support their communities.”
Now in its second year, the eight-week curriculum began on Feb. 6 and was structured to build students’ advocacy skills and elevate their voices and ideas on what their neighborhood needs. The course featured planners and urban designers as well as teachers from The Laboratory School who comprise the government team; and included input from city agencies with deep expertise in housing, parks, economic development and many more issues.
All three classes heard from guest speakers, including Gibson, and went on site visits, including to the Bankside development on the Harlem River waterfront, the Bronx River House and a section of the Cross Bronx Expressway.
The first year of the program focused on issues related to affordable housing, St. Mary’s Park and safety at and around the future borough-based jail coming to their community.
DCP’s Community Planning and Engagement division is looking for opportunities to expand the program to other schools as well.
For more coverage, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram @bronxtimes
