Goodman Community Center Launches Literacy Initiative Backed by Science of Reading Principles

by Owen Ayite-Atayi and Camila Cruz

Goodman Community Center’s *START Literacy Initiative was launched by literacy specialist Iris Patterson this past spring. The program teaches volunteers the necessary skills to teach kids how to read. Volunteers then put their skills into practice by tutoring children.

The initiative is aimed at Wisconsin’s literacy crisis. In our state, 47% of students in grades 3-5 score proficient in reading. Only 24% of Hispanic and 14% of Black students scored proficient, according to 2023-24 Forward Exam data. Wisconsin’s wide achievement gap, though worsened by the pandemic, has been around for decades.

Iris Patterson is a former 4th and 5th grade teacher. She is working to raise awareness about the science of reading in Madison. [Read More]

“Hold Me Accountable” – Joe Gothard’s Interview with Simpson Street Free Press

by Cris Cruz and Leila Fletcher

Following an introductory press conference at Thoreau Elementary School, new Madison school superintendent, Joe Gothard, sat down for an exclusive interview with Simpson Street Free Press.

Although superintendent contracts usually begin in July, Dr. Gothard pushed for an earlier start date. He will now start on May 20. Gothard told us he wants extra time to work with interim superintendent Lisa Kvistad and the Madison School Board.

“I know the board, but when you work with a board, you get to know the board differently. I want to establish the way we're going to work together. And already this week it's proven to be a good decision,” Gothard said. [Read More]

Joe McCarthy and the Red Scare: A First-amendment Case Study from History

by Sandy Flores-Ruiz, age 17

A recent column in The Capital Times reported that according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only about 22% of American students are proficient in civics. One good way for students in our state to study civics is through an infamous episode from the 1950s when a journalist stood up to a powerful U.S. Senator from Wisconsin.

Joseph McCarthy, Edward R. Murrow, and the Red Scare is a first-amendment case study from history. All Wisconsin students should learn the lessons behind this case.

Joe McCarthy was one of the most controversial politicians in American history. He served as a Wisconsin Senator from when he was first elected in 1947, until his death in 1957. He is known for declaring that communist spies and sympathizers had penetrated the U.S. federal government. During the early 1950s, few people dared to speak out against McCarthy as his accusations and tactics were so intimidating. For those who did criticize McCarthy, the consequences were often dire. He would dramatically denounce them and accuse the person of being a communist, often without proof. Jobs were lost and reputations were ruined. [Read More]

The Most Important and Most Common form of Writing: Expository Writing

by Yoanna Hoskins, age 17

Students are typically instructed to submit papers using one of the four major writing styles: expository, narrative, persuasive, or descriptive. Expository writing is one of the more commonly known forms of writing.

Expository writing focuses on explaining or exposing a topic; in other words, it is a piece of writing that is instructive. The goal of expository writing is to expound on an idea concisely and bias-free. This style is used throughout the world in a myriad of ways. It can be found in textbooks, directions, articles like this one, and other platforms of writing seen daily. When writing an expository piece, the author or publisher is not to state their own opinions on the topic. The piece should be neutral and inform a reader without attempting to persuade.

Analysis, juxtaposition, and cause & effect are not to be confused with persuasive writing. The first three all fit into expository writing because they logically explain topics without siding with one point of view of an argument. [Read More]

Stewart Lake County Park is a Hidden Gem in Dane County's Driftless Area

by Samuel Garduño Martínez, age 17

Just west of Madison near the village of Mt. Horeb lies one of Dane County’s hidden gems—its first official park. Nestled in the Driftless Area, Stewart Lake County Park’s bluffs and valleys are a unique piece of Wisconsin. First and foremost, the topography is breathtakingly special. Unlike other regions in the Midwest, the Driftless Area escaped the flattening effects of thousand-year-old-glaciers.

This summer, students from Simpson Street Free Press embarked on several field trips to the Driftless Area. Our plans are to visit this still-preserved treasure and study its characteristics. On one recent trip, we learned that despite going through much change, Stewart Lake County Park is beloved by the people who use it and know it.

Stewart Lake County Park, formerly known as Lake Park, has been around since the early 20th century, but the site has beautifully carved over thousands of years. The park itself has undergone several drastic transformations since it was designated a park in 1912. [Read More]

AP Classes: Beneficial or Harmful?

by Virginia Quach, age 18

A growing debate in today’s education system concerns the idea of Advance Placement (AP) courses and whether they are actually beneficial to students or simply funding College Board, the organization that founded the AP system, at the expense of student learning.

During the time I was enrolled in my AP courses, I never saw their benefits. I was constantly stressed over content and preparing for exams. It was not until recently that I discovered the importance of those AP courses. They helped me improve my study habits, prepared me for college-level work, and provided me with skills to be successful in multiple outlets of my life.

According to an article titled “Our schools will get rid of AP courses. Here’s Why,” The Washington Post highlighted how the initiation of AP courses in the early 1950’s came as a way to hasten college graduation by providing students with rigorous material and initial credit prior to the start of their college careers. However, recent data indicates that despite taking these courses, few students actually graduate in less than four years or stay aligned on a four year track. This raises the question: are AP courses actually helpful to students, considering that the initial rationale for providing these courses isn’t completely valid? [Read More]

International Wood Sculpture Festival Honors the Legacy of Harry Whitehorse

By Elim Eyobed, age 13

A festival in honor of Harry Whitehorse, a late Ho-Chunk sculptor from Wisconsin, brought people from all over the world to our backyard. A group of Simpson Street Free Press reporters attended the event and watched some of the world's best woodcarvers create their masterpieces in real time.

The Harry Whitehorse International Wood Sculpture Festival was a week-long event showcasing woodcarving styles from various cultures. The festival took place at San Damiano Park in Monona, from June 14-22.

A semicircle of tents greeted guests arriving at the festival. The tents, which were designed based on traditional Ho-Chunk homes that used to be on the property, housed the artists in residence. In front of their respective work stations stood each artist’s national flag. [Read More]

J. Cole: From Trailer Parks to Platinum Records - A Rap Legend's Journey

by Zayn Khalid, age 13

Jermaine Lamarr Cole, also known as J. Cole, is considered by many to be one of the best rappers of all time. Cole uses rap and his platform to preach about racism, poverty, single-parent households, political corruption, and drug abuse.

Cole was born in Frankfurt, Germany, on Jan. 28, 1985, on a U.S. Army base. His father was an African-American soldier stationed there at the time. Cole's mother was a white postal worker. His dad left when Cole was a baby. Cole’s mother moved Cole and his brother, Zach, to Fayetteville, North Carolina, where they grew up often living in trailer parks. It was during this time that Cole fell in love with rap. [Read More]

A Reflection on Kobe Bryant

by Brandon Alvarez

Kobe Bryant died on January 26th, 2020. It's been a little over two years and I've realized it's still hard to believe. Not just because Kobe was among the greatest of all time (GOAT) in basketball. Kobe was also an iconic figure in modern sports and in our country.

Kobe Bryant was bigger than sports. His untimely death in 2020 stopped the world like nothing we've seen in decades. It stopped the world for at least one full day. Many people stopped their schedules and the world of youtube changed for at least 24 hours. Many others basketball fans decided to not upload on that day. This didn’t just happen on basketball or sports channels. Traffic on gaming channels slowed noticeably. Even the biggest news reporting channel on bodybuilding went all-Kobe all the time for at least two days. [Read More]

Make Reading Support Madison's Out-of-School Time Priority

by Helen Zhang, Sarah Useche, and Taylor Kilgore

Our community is long past due and immediate action is required. Madison kids can’t read. We will not successfully address this crisis, or the disparities that define our city, if we don’t first bridge achievement gaps. We will not bridge achievement gaps until all students can read.

Somewhat famously, Madison School Board member James Howard recently said “all the data around kids of color shows we have not gotten it right. Every one of us has a part of getting it wrong for students of color.” [Read More]

Kids Should Get Outdoors More, Research Shows

by Valeria Moreno Lopez, 13

Technology plays a big part throughout humans’ lives, from young children to older adults. Kids are accused of being addicted to screens, but who gives them the example? Jaime Gonzales, Houston Urban Conservation Programs Manager for The Nature Conservancy in Texas, shares his childhood stories and his opinions with the world.

Gonzales has observed that kids are spending more time on screens rather than going outside. Schoolchildren play outside for only minutes a day, compared to the seven plus hours of being in front of a screen (computers, TV, phones). That doesn’t mean they don’t want to enjoy the outdoors, though. Parents are easily convinced it’s the child’s choice to not go outside, but they don’t stop to think that they themselves might have raised their children to think like that. [read more]