Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and Discovery Education Launch ‘Speak Truth to Power’ Virtual Field Trip to Inspire and Engage the Next Generation of Human Rights Defenders

SILVER SPRING, Md., December 5, 2018 /3BL Media/ – In celebration of Human Rights Day, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights (RFK Human Rights) and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, today announced an inaugural Speak Truth to Power Virtual Field Trip entitled For the Present and the Future: A Conversation on Human Rights. Together, with host Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy and president of RFK Human Rights, the immersive educational experience will showcase established and rising human rights defenders for an inspiring conversation about activism on Human Rights Day, Monday, December 10, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. ET/10:00 a.m. PT. During the immersion, middle and high school students will hear from defenders as they share inspiring stories and answer questions about what sparked their passion for activism and meaningful community involvement. Educators, parents, students and advocacy communities are invited to register for the Conversation on Human Rights here.  Viewers are also encouraged to join @DiscoveryEd, @RFKHumanRights and other experts for a LIVE Twitter chat during the premiere of the Virtual Field Trip using #SpeakTruthtoPowerVFT.

“‘Speak Truth to Power in School’ is focused on creating a new generation of student leaders who are not only aware of human rights abuses, but prepared to do something about them,” said President of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Kerry Kennedy. “Our partnership with Discovery Education is vital and the ‘Speak Truth to Power’ Virtual Field Trip will engage students, connecting them to human rights issues that matter most, while inspiring them to be lifelong agents of change.”

The immersive Virtual Field Trip experience will transport middle and high school students beyond the walls of their classrooms to explore why the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – ratified on December 10, 1948 – is as relevant today as it was 70 years ago.

Students will also engage in an intimate conversation with established and emerging human rights defenders, including:

• Kailash Satyarthi, children’s rights advocate and 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• Van Jones, social entrepreneur, CNN political contributor, and host of The Van Jones Show
• Jazz Jennings, LGBTQ rights activist and star of TLC’s I am Jazz
• Naomi Wadler, an Alexandria, Va. fifth-grader and March for Our Lives activist
• Darrick Hamilton, Executive Director of the Ohio State University’s Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity
• Ibtihaj Muhammad, Olympic Fencing Bronze Medalist and sports ambassador for the U.S. Department of State’s Initiatives to Empower Women through Sports

“Discovery Education is honored to partner with Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights to engage classrooms across this country in a focused dialogue about the power of advocacy,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. “By leveraging digitally immersive resources and one-of-a-kind experiences to break down barriers separating students worldwide, we hope to inspire a fearless generation of human rights advocates that are committed to lasting, positive change.”

Speak Truth to Power in School offers immersive educational experiences and unique, multi-platform online learning tools, including: standards-aligned digital resources, video vignettes, an interactive map, biographies and thought-provoking classroom activities to tell the unforgettable stories of established human rights activists with the goal of helping students further explore pathways to become champions of justice in their own communities. RFK Human Rights’ collaboration with Discovery Education brings Speak Truth to Power to classrooms across the country with the goal of sparking a national dialogue about what it means to be a 21st century solution-seeker and human rights defender in our world today.

“‘Speak Truth to Power in School’ inspires students, helping them to recognize and value their own agency to make a difference in the world,” said Karen Wells, Midland High School educator, Midland School District, Pleasant Plains, Arkansas. “The RFK Human Rights Virtual Field Trip is an invaluable resource and transforms the way my students think about problem-solving and solution-seeking, as it relates to showing empathy and taking meaningful action.”

RFK Human Rights is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit organization that engages with young leaders from around the globe and is a leading source of human rights education for young people worldwide. To date, the organization’s efforts have impacted an estimated 5.2 million students, teachers, community leaders and citizens. Twenty-eighteen marks 50 years since Robert F. Kennedy’s run for President, and on December 12, 2018, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights will host their 50th Anniversary Ripple of Hope Awards Dinner. The event will celebrate Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy and honor leaders from the international business, public service, media and activist communities who have demonstrated a commitment to social change.

This year’s laureates include, David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery, 44th President of the United States Barack Obama, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Bruce D. Broussard, CEO of Humana.

Speak Truth to Power in School resources are available at no-cost at  speaktruthtopowerinschool.com and are integrated into Discovery Education Streaming. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @DiscoveryEd.

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About Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights: 
Led by human rights activist and lawyer Kerry Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights has advocated for a more just and peaceful world since 1968. We work alongside local activists to ensure lasting positive change in governments and corporations. Whether in the United States or abroad, our programs have pursued justice through strategic litigation on key human rights issues, educated millions of children in human rights advocacy and fostered a social good approach to business and investment.

About Discovery Education:

As the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12 classrooms worldwide, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional learning, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries around the globe. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.

Contacts:

Max Burnes, RFK Human Rights
burns@rfkhumanrights.org

Charmion N. Kinder, Discovery Education
Charmion_Kinder@discovery.com