GCHS Students Attend National Issues Forum

Juniors and seniors who recently participated in Hofstra University's "Educate 08" national issues forum. Garden City High School juniors and seniors from Dr. Mark Quigley's AP Government class and from Ms. Jeanette Balantic's Regents U.S. History class were among 200 students who recently participated in Hofstra University's "Educate 08" National Issues Forum, a full day of panel discussions and interactive groups deliberating topical national and international issues. Members of Newsday's editorial board served as keynote speakers, discussing the media's role in the upcoming presidential election and other pressing issues facing the nation. The small group discussions which followed addressed the international energy crisis and our nation's role in the future of the planet.

The consensus among Garden City's 25 attending students was very positive: "The small group allowed students to participate and elaborate on issues more than in a large group," and, "I went into the forum with a set idea and left with different perspectives and a more well-rounded view of the issues."

National Issues Forums (NIF) is a network of civic, educational, and other organizations, and individuals, whose common interest is to promote public deliberation in America. It has grown to include thousands of civic clubs, religious organizations, libraries, schools, and many other groups that meet to discuss critical public issues. For more information visit: www.nifi.org