Dr. Keith Frome Published in NYS Education Journal
September 5th, 2022
Peers, Power, and Purpose: Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives on the Theory of Peer Social Capital in Schools
Park's President, Dr. Keith Frome, was recently published in the Journal of the New York State Foundations of Education Association (Volume 2, 2022). The abstract of his article "Peers, Power, and Purpose: Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives on the Theory of Peer Social Capital in Schools" can be found below.
Abstract: Youth activation can take a multitude of effective forms, which are only recently being explored at scale. Although a highly promising form of youth-adult partnership, a commonly accepted nomenclature to guide high school implementation and practice has yet to be constructed. Sometimes referred to as peer social capital or instrumental assistance, youth activation occurs when young people act to improve their schools. Youth activation takes off from young people’s keen interest in making their school experiences more rewarding and growth-oriented and more likely to encourage engagement, thriving, and development in the student body. Alongside adults who embrace young people’s authentic leadership potential, youth activators mobilize their peers and motivate a sense of engagement and belonging, which contributes to positive school experiences. Students become problem solvers rather than problems to be solved.
