On Saturday, March 3rd, students will lead parents, teachers, and administrators through the first ever “Share Your Passion” Student-Led Conference. “Share Your Passion” was inspired by a collaboration between Evergreen School District (EESD) and the Stanford Design School as a way to engage students as leaders and to amplify their voices. To create the agenda, 5th through 8th graders were invited from across the district to pitch session ideas on a topic they would like to teach to adults. Students’ range of passions and inquiry gave rise to a program packed with sessions focused on topics from dance to equity in the classroom, to arts education.
The conference is open and free to all, and will feature a rich selection of student-taught class sessions on topics ranging from global warming, digital animation, and algebra, to empathy, leadership, and diversity in the classroom. Keynote Speaker Taliq Tillman, a Dartmouth College student driven by a passion for learning and student activism, will kick off the conference with an exploration of the ways in which traditional schooling neglects to empower students’ cultural identities.
As educators, we know that students can be invaluable team members in creating change both inside and outside schools. Events like “Share Your Passion” demonstrate the power of engaging students as expert leaders. As the student organizers themselves put it: student voice builds Global Competency. Join the students of EESD for a packed day of learning and inquiry by registering today on the conference’s website.
To learn more about EESD’s journey in making student voice a priority in the district, read the EESD and YouthTruth case study here. The EESD and YouthTruth partnership is also highlighted in the Cabinet Report article, “YouthTruth student opinion data driving change.” Want more? Check out protocols and strategies from YouthTruth and innovative educators like EESD who are elevating student voice in our new guidebook on putting student voice into action.