Annual ‘Project Soapbox’ event in Rochester features students tackling significant issues

Rochester, New York – On Thursday, students at Northeast College Preparatory High School got the chance to delve further into their areas of interest.

The second annual “Project Soapbox” featured student speeches on a range of topics, each lasting two minutes.

“I feel like it’s very important for students to be heard,” said Omariana Curry, a senior at Northeast Prep. “Our soapbox is basically about controversial topics that we all picked, so there’s different topics.”

Curry discussed the effects that victims of sexual assault may experience.

“I’m going to be talking about the physical, emotional, and mental health that stems from it, and how it’s very important to deal with stuff like that,” she explained.

Gil Rosa, a social studies teacher in the Northeast, claims that giving pupils a brief period of attention might have a favorable effect on them.

“Adults like to do a lot of talking and teaching, and we don’t always listen,” Rosa said. “To see how far the kids have come from the beginning until now is unbelievable. These kids are amazing.”

In addition to bringing in representatives who are pertinent to the range of issues being discussed, the project invited people from the surrounding community to listen to the kids. Additionally, students choose to participate.

“If they were willing to do the speech, regardless of where they were at in the process, we allow them to do that,” Rosa said.

On March 5 at the Strong Museum of Play, there will be a district-wide presentation of talks to which the public is also invited.