Students Step Up
As part of our efforts to engage students in civil responsibility, the Upper School presented two election-related special programs this week. In both cases, the adults provided a framework from which the students could operate, and then our students do what they so often do: stepped up to the challenge and delivered the results.
First, on Election Day, History teacher Liz Sarles and I hosted a debate on two of the Colorado state ballot initiatives. As I mentioned in my blog last week, the state's ballot this year was chock-full of interesting measures, and voters were asked to decide on eleven issues. The two that we focused on were Proposition 113, which, as the Associated Press noted, "asked voters if the state should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would give the state’s nine electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote"; and Proposition 118, which "allows for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave funded through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees in a 50/50 split."
Students from our new speech and debate team chose either the affirmative or negative side of these two issues. They demonstrated the strategy of presenting their own argument as well as offering a rebuttal to the other side's claims. With just a few days to prepare, these students were poised, articulate, and persuasive; they impressed the full gathering of students and teachers on Zoom. They gave other students a great idea of how a prepared argument, coherently presented, makes for a persuasive speech. (Note: As of Thursday morning, both of these measures were on their way to passing.)
Next, on Wednesday, as the election results were still coming in, our Director of Inclusivity Sarah Wright hosted an open microphone discussion that focused on the partisan nature of identity politics. With three Senior student leaders in charge of facilitating the live conversation over Zoom, we talked about how and why people become so personally invested in the things they believe in and support on the political spectrum. Again, the students stepped up with maturity and kept the dialogue thoughtful and productive. The discussion embodied compassion and understanding, even in the midst of a polarizing time. We followed up with an afternoon discussion that was a further opportunity for students to express their thoughts about the election season and the many important topics that have surfaced this year.
I'm always appreciative of the level of social discourse that our students exhibit and pleased we could engage the student body in this way.
Back
First, on Election Day, History teacher Liz Sarles and I hosted a debate on two of the Colorado state ballot initiatives. As I mentioned in my blog last week, the state's ballot this year was chock-full of interesting measures, and voters were asked to decide on eleven issues. The two that we focused on were Proposition 113, which, as the Associated Press noted, "asked voters if the state should join the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would give the state’s nine electoral votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote"; and Proposition 118, which "allows for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave funded through a payroll tax paid by employers and employees in a 50/50 split."
Students from our new speech and debate team chose either the affirmative or negative side of these two issues. They demonstrated the strategy of presenting their own argument as well as offering a rebuttal to the other side's claims. With just a few days to prepare, these students were poised, articulate, and persuasive; they impressed the full gathering of students and teachers on Zoom. They gave other students a great idea of how a prepared argument, coherently presented, makes for a persuasive speech. (Note: As of Thursday morning, both of these measures were on their way to passing.)
Next, on Wednesday, as the election results were still coming in, our Director of Inclusivity Sarah Wright hosted an open microphone discussion that focused on the partisan nature of identity politics. With three Senior student leaders in charge of facilitating the live conversation over Zoom, we talked about how and why people become so personally invested in the things they believe in and support on the political spectrum. Again, the students stepped up with maturity and kept the dialogue thoughtful and productive. The discussion embodied compassion and understanding, even in the midst of a polarizing time. We followed up with an afternoon discussion that was a further opportunity for students to express their thoughts about the election season and the many important topics that have surfaced this year.
I'm always appreciative of the level of social discourse that our students exhibit and pleased we could engage the student body in this way.
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