Gesu School 7th Graders Explore Passport to Understanding

Gesu School students participate in Passport to Understanding program

Interfaith Philadelphia is collaborating with Gesu School, an independent Catholic school in North Philadelphia committed to interculturality. The new program offers 7th graders the opportunity to gain skills for interfaith dialogue and engagement, using our Passport to Understanding practices 

Youth Programs Manager, Elexus Freeman-Filmore, and Sara Zebovitz, Director of Institutional Advancement are leading the students in a 5-part Passport to Understanding program. Each week, they focus on a different Passport practice essential for interfaith travel: Be Curious; Venture Out; Welcome In; Stand Tall; and Stand With.

Through asking curious questions of one another, trying new foods, writing poetry, and making “life maps,” these students are learning and practicing skills to carry them forward in our plural world.

Youth Programs Manager, Elexus Freeman-Filmore; Ed Beckett, Vice President for Mission, Identity, and Inclusion at Gesu; and Sara Zebovitz, Director of Institutional Advancement

Ed Beckett, Vice President for Mission, Identity, and Inclusion at Gesu, approached Interfaith Philadelphia to customize a program for his students as they further their exploration into interculturality, the appreciation of difference, and their future leadership.  An independent school rooted in the Catholic tradition, Gesu is the collaboration of people of all faiths who recognize the impact of quality education on children’s lives.

Gesu School students participate in Passport to Understanding program

As the students explored the Passport practice of Be Curious, they delved into asking and answering thought-provoking questions and formulated a range of inquiries not only for themselves but also for the world around them. Their questions included: “Why are people imperfect if God is all-powerful?”, “What race was Jesus, since his appearance varies in every painting?”, “What is the most cherished aspect of your faith and why?”, and “Why do Muslims not celebrate birthdays?”.

There are plans for the Passport program to be offered annually at Gesu School and extend to 8th graders who will also visit different sacred spaces across the City. 

To learn how you can integrate the Passport to Understanding program into your classroom or education environment contact Elexus Freeman-Filmore, Youth Programs Manager at [email protected] 

Purchase a Passport to Understanding booklet