Ethics For Young Humans

Through ETHICAL community, young humans empower their ethical development, create life-long friendships, and stand up with care and courage for a GOOD WORLD through action. At Ethical Culture, where the cool-ness factor values KINDNESS and DEED, children bring out the best in one another, and thereby themselves... (variation on a quote by founder, Felix Adler.)

Current Links & Info

JOIN ETHICAL! September 2016 Calendar

ETHICAL EXPLORERS FALL SEASON
PEACE MAKERS ON PLAYGROUNDS
PEACE MAKERS AT HOME
PEACE MAKERS IN THE WORLD! 

Send RSVPs or Inquiries to EthicsForChildren@NYSEC.org
For more information and ongoing stories of the season, and visit:  

ARRIVE!!!! Sunday, September 11:
FAMILIES/CHILDREN
10am,  5th floor:  All ages, Family OPEN HOUSE – followed by project, play & lunch.
  • Ethics for Children and Teens Info Session for every kind of Family.  
  • Bagels will be served, while a song circle, info-talk and children’s activity are offered around Ethical Themes.
  • Registration process and Ethical membership options will be guided.  
  • New comers will learn from veteran Ethical Explorers
11am, 4th floor:  All join the ETHICAL community on the 4th floor.  
After a community greeting and music:  
  • Children will go upstairs for an independent project of DEED(CompassionGames.org)
  • Adults and teens may choose to experience the Morning Meeting.  
  • Meet After on Playground:  (Weather permitting)
LUNCH
  • Families are welcome to join the community for lunch
  • Children always eat for free!
TEENS/YOUTH
  • 1:00, Ethics for Youth Leaders meet in the Lunch Room at  TEEN TABLE  (teens are welcome to eat for free).  Brainstorming the Season Ahead, and Launching Compassion Games Projects


September 11-21:  DEEDS by Ethical Explorers
PARTICIPATION FOR ALL, even you who are FAR AND WIDE:  
All ages are welcome to participate in the 
ETHICAL TEAM of the Global Unity Compassion Games, 
where “survival of the kindest “ create “Tomorrow Together!”  
YOU SHARE THE STORIES AND PICTURES of 
your own DEEDS of GOODNESS and COMPASSION -- 
as part of the ETHICAL TEAM on this sight:
www.CompassionGames.org  


Sunday, September 18 at 11am -- a free family festival open to all children and their families!
 
Ethical Explorers Celebrate

 INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY

"LET"S PLAY PEACE!"

This event is free and open to all children and their families.
It highlights 3 levels of Peace  
Personal, Local, Global.

Children will learn peace strategies 
to succeed in their year ahead with 
peace-making and friendship building 
in their schools and playgrounds. 

These strategies will include 
playing with movement and breathing games,
scenarios of interactive problem solving,
creation of a collective art work for global peace
and a playground peace parade.

Children will learn how their 
"spheres of influence" work
to expand their own hopes. 
1:00pm TEEN TABLE, in lunch room.


September 25
11am:  Children’s group theme:  “HOME – of heart, mind, and body”
1:00pm  TEEN TABLE, in lunch room.


AS THE SEASON CONTINUES, we meet EACH Sunday, except for long weekends.

  • Free Family Festivals throughout the season include:

  • October 30  11am Happy Bones Festival 
  • 1:00 TEEN TABLE: Launching project of the Zombie Research Society 

  • November 20 Gratitude Festival
  • 1:00 TEEN TABLE: Field Walk to IMAGINE CIRCLE.




Encampment for Citizenship: Favio

Encampment for Citizenship
Favio Apollon, transitioning from YES teens program to FES program for young adults, attended the Encampment, with the support of his NYSEC community. Here are some things he shares in reflection.

This summer, thanks to support from the community of Ethical Culture and the staff of the Encampment For Citizenship (EFC), I spent three weeks in workshops on building community in a democracy! My time at the Encampment was one of the best experiences I have ever had. I appreciate having met young people from all different backgrounds who want to build better communities where they live.        

The Encampment was founded in 1946 after World War II, to insure that another event like the war would never happen again. Algernon Black, a Leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, and Alice K. Pollitzer, a prominent civic leader, wanted to bring youngsters from all different backgrounds together. Young men and women of of different races, religions, classes, genders, and sexual orientations gathered to have  conversations about how to build a community, how to run the government, how youth can take action in their own communities. In those early years, Eleanor Roosevelt, who was on the EFC board of sponsors, not only supported the Encampment, but often hosted all the campers at her Hyde Park home.

This summer’s Encampment was at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. Our first day began with creating a “River of Life” to introduce ourselves and get to know each other.  Because I live in New York, I tend to think that I have seen and talked to people of every culture. But I was wrong! I had never talked with a Native American — someone whose family and ancestors had not immigrated to America. I enjoyed learning about my Native American friend’s tribe and her life, and realising I had many new wonders to discover about America.

We had to create a form of government together, so we chose to create a Quaker-style democracy. We had art,  social justice, and theater workshops. We explored the state of Massachusetts to analyze aspects of government from city to district, from mayor to immigrants.  We analyzed how to relate what a community needs to what a community wants.  Also, we had discussions about where we live, comparing our communities and learning how to make them better.

My experience at the Encampment was such a privilege. It was grand getting to meet so many incredible young people from all around the country. I didn't have much hope about our generation’s future before. Because of the Encampment, I realize that so many social justice movements have been started by young people. Now I want to use the knowledge that I gained to empower my community and make it better.