If you are in need of an abortion in the United States, you might have to travel cross the country to get one. Or a clinic could be just blocks away. A woman enters Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services, Thursday, 7 October 2021, in San Antonio, Texas. The clinic...
I had five screws implanted in my back at age 13. Then I learned of spinal implants improperly tested. Can we know if medical procedures are safe? Photo illustration of a doctor examining a woman’s spine. (Credit: Albina Gavrilovic) This article was authored by...
It isn’t difficult to find a caring home for one cat or dog. But millions roam the world and there aren’t enough shelters. What do we do with them all? Stella, a gray cat, waits to be adopted. Credit: Riya Patel This article, by high school student Riya...
Equestrian, artist and writer Li Keira Yin is finding her footing in Boston after graduating from News Decoder partner school The Thacher School. Former News Decoder Student Ambassador, Li Keira Yin. (Li Keira Yin) When a student has four stories published on News...
If a government agency stores the DNA and fingerprints of its residents can it serve them more efficiently or control them more effectively? (Image: News Decoder) A year after Kenya’s historic digital identity program was declared illegal, the Kenyan government is...
As more countries around the world adopt digital identification systems, concerns about the legality of such programs have come to the fore. This month, University of Toronto global journalism fellow Shefali Malhotra walks us through arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs in Kenya.
Exercise: As students are reading the article, have them create a list of arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs. Then, have students write a paragraph on whether or not they support adopting digital IDs in your country. The paragraph should include arguments around at least two of the following subtopics: data protection (legal), privacy (personal & commercial), internet penetration/the digital divide, potential discrimination against vulnerable groups. To extend the activity, students can engage in a structured debate with classmates after writing their paragraphs.
People of lesser means have few food buying choices where they live, while supermarkets seem to crop up where markets already thrive. Can we change that? Photo illustration by News Decoder. This article, by high school student Aiden Huber, was produced out of News...
Few countries have policies on sex education. In the United States, policies vary from state to state and might depend on whether a school is public or private. Books used to teach sex education. Credit: Sara Kane. This article, by high school student Sara Kane, was...
There are health benefits to an active lifestyle. But if you like to sit in the stands or watch from the sofa, perhaps a different kind of workout takes place. A man watches a football game on television. (Credit: Tarik Kızılkaya Getty Images Signature) This article,...
Anxiety about the fate of the planet is harming the mental health of young people. Can we help them funnel their frustration into a force for change? Climate change activist holding a banner with the message, “The world is dying and so are we,” 24...
In a prime example of a student-produced piece, high school student Kendal Andress from the Tatnall School in Delaware discusses solution-focused climate action in response to rising eco-anxiety among young people. With sources ranging from UNICEF to interviews with NGO founders and local leaders, this article highlights News Decoder’s mission to amplify youth voices.
Exercise: Prepare four large pieces of butcher paper. Label the sheets: individual action, local action (city/state/province), national action, international action. Have your class read the article, then divide students into four groups. Each group will begin with one sheet and write down ways in which people can act to fight climate change at the level written on their paper. After 10-15 minutes, have students pass the paper along, so another group can add to their responses. Continue until all groups have contributed to all four sheets of paper and discussed action at all four levels. (Activity can also be done through a shared Google Slide deck).
Though girls in different countries wear different clothes and follow different customs, in many ways they share the same thoughts and speak the same language. Teens in Girls Across Borders Zoom together. Photo illustration. This article, by high school student Ama...