A student leader reflects on their student voice workshop at Minneapolis’s PEN Conference.
By Kathryn Chao
As we constantly gripe about school-induced stress, it can be easy to take for granted the privileges Cary Academy has to offer. As STEP club co-leader Morgan White put it to me, “We are the only ones who know what it’s like to be taught.” In schools that teach to a standardized curriculum, this is not always guaranteed.
I’ve watched STEP come a long way over the years. One student’s queries about school curriculum evolved into a club that facilitates critical discussion about current educational reform, and allows us students at CA a platform to become involved in the inner workings of our own school. However, the true mission of the club is to create replicable frameworks for actual school reform, not just to talk about it.
With this in mind, advisor Dr. Coven, the other STEP Club leaders and I attended the national PEN Conference for Progressive Education in Minneapolis to host a workshop on student voice.
“I think the most valuable part of the experience was getting to meet others… that also want to cause systemic change.”
Not only did we get to speak to an audience about our own ideas, but we were also able to learn from professionals and specialists in the field. From former NFL player Justice Alan Page to educational equity specialist Paul Gorski, the conference kicked off with a panel of keynote speakers and a talk on achieving equity in schools.
The message touched on feigning equity through encouraging dialogue and celebrating diversity without addressing racism–points that left the CA representatives with a desire to help incite change in our own school.
“I think the most valuable part of the experience was getting to meet others that share similar goals and that also want to cause systemic change,” Kyle Murphy told me. “It was really interesting to be able to see different people’s perspectives on this topic.”
The rest of the conference was spent attending workshops on inquiry-based learning, ending with our own presentation to an audience of educators, helping connect us with others of similar goals.
Coming away from the conference, we gained perspective on the movement for reform on a national level as well as an increased urgency to help advocate for student involvement. Educational policy affects both the lives of students like us and the future of our nation, so true positive reform can only be achieved when current students are able to influence it.