If you are a child or teen in Philadelphia – we want to hear your voice!
We are seeking submissions of writing and artwork created by children of all ages, teens, college students and parents that express the hopes, dreams, worries, fears, concerns, ideas and creative thinking of our children, youth and their families about the issues facing our great city.

Please submit letters, essays, poetry, song or rap lyrics, drawings or photographs to Sue Badeau and we consider it for publication on this section of our website. No one can better answer the question "And How are the Children?" than the our young people themselves!

We hope to hear from you!

Research & Resources

NEW! Community Report Cards
View the 2007 community report cards here
View information about the community report card meetings and community involvement here

All Join Hands Information
View the Youth Written Voters Guide to Philadelphia Elections

2007 Future Leaders' Mayoral Forum
Read the Press Release
View the Powerpoint Presentation of the City-wide Survey of Philadelphia Youth on Issues Most Important to Them
Read the Event Agenda 

Youth Writing

• Selected writings from "North Philadelphia Metropolis"
  Winter 2007 issue focuses on Education, Winter 2006 issue, focuses on Violence, at the Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs
• My Life, My Future, by Whitney Jones
  Whitney, 16, is an honor roll student at the Parkway High School for Peace and Social Justice in Germantown
• Poetry by Alysia Badeau
  Alysia Badeau, 18, was adopted from foster care and grew up with her family in Philadelphia
• Growing up in Philadelphia
  By Nina Spencer

Young Artists

• "The Earth"
  Jasmine drew a picture of herself holding up the earth, and said that this means that "Children are the strength of the future."
• "The City"
  "What I love about Philadelphia is going to the city on the train and going to the zoo with my mom and dad and sister Angel and new baby sister Allegria."
• "Love"
  "My family is special because they love me."
• "Philadelphia"
  "Philadelphia is a fun city. We go to the zoo and the Franklin Institute and in the summer I go to camp. We go to the park and throw rocks in the river. I have lots of friends."

The photographs of children throughout the site are from the Norris Square Civic Association Beacon and Afterschool Programs (Hunter and McKinley School Sites). The children are preparing posters as part of rally held last fall entitled the "Anti-Violence Youth Rally/Lights on Afterschool." The completed posters will be displayed on this website soon!