Colorado Academy students and teachers are back from two leadership and diversity conferences last month, and there are more opportunities in store.

 

The STAMP conference empowers middle school youth with tools to build more inclusive communities in their home schools. The conference is planned and led by high school students who have created youth-oriented workshops for middle school participants. This conference provides many opportunities for CA students to practice critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, cultural competence, and character. Middle School Participants included Saijel Burkett, Erishai Okra, Jordan Davidson, Jonathon Hill, Galilea Landa- Posas, Teri McManus, Samer Mohamed, Lilly Clowes, Juliet Cramer, Willa Dorgan, Lilly Jorden, and Jasmine Moore. Upper School STAMP workshop facilitators included Samah Mohamed, Paige Clay, Michelle Solis, Brianna Bullock, Mary Fernandez, and Zoriah Carter. These students spent their Monday evenings for five weeks straight to plan the STAMP conference.

 

The CIRCLE promotes a commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and moves beyond celebrations and awareness by tackling specific issues that surround inclusiveness. The event does so with a multifaceted approach of exploring opportunities, knowledge, and skills.

 

Colorado Academy faculty members who attended CIRCLE include Dani Goldstein, Elissa Wolf-Tinsman, Renee Medina, Brigitte Debord, Sara Monterroso, and Erin Carlson. Says one teacher, “The workshops I attended were on Implicit Bias and women in education. It was energizing to share stories with other women who taught and counseled and led programs.” Another teacher says, “It would be interesting to hear students’ reactions, to know… what they would like teachers and fellow students to know, and how we can support them.”

 

The People of Color Conference (POCC) coming up in December is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools’ commitment to equity and justice in teaching and learning. The mission of the conference is to provide a safe space for leadership and professional development and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds in independent schools. The conference brings in educators from all divisions and departments, trustees, and administrators. Attending this year on the part of Colorado Academy are: Paul Kim, presenter, Tom Thorpe, presenter, Adrian Michael Green, Allie Bronston, SDLC chaperone, and Daniel Lopez, SDLC chaperone.

 

The Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades nine - 12) from across the U.S. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community.

 

Fifteen Upper School students applied for only six spaces this year. Applicants had to complete a formal application by writing a 500- 750-word essay. Students selected to attend include: Sophomores Gemma Ryu and Zoriah Carter, and juniors Grace Ingebretsen, Maggie Jones, SunHee Seo, and Jordan McLeod. Faces of Diversity Student leaders who help run the Upper School Faces of Diversity club have been working to promote their events and programs, and they started by working with the school and their club members to develop a recognizable look for their promotions.

 

Faces of Diversity is a movement that strives to create an empathetic community, where anybody can succeed, through awareness, discussion and action. Look for this logo to find upcoming student events.