Youth-led Workshops

At EdJ, we believe that when stories are silenced, we can’t do the work. In spaces about improving education, student voices are often left out. In April 2023, we hosted our first Education for Social Conference and had incredible youth-led workshops. We are promoting some of the conference workshops and encourage you to bring these workshops to your school or workplace! If you are interested in paying these folks to host their workshop at your workplace, please contact them!

Intergenerational Trauma and Supporting Healing in Schools

Mea Ree Jan (student at Essex Tech and Winooski High School), Auishma Pradhan (student at South Burlington High School), Eliza Willis (student at Winooski High School)

We'll give an overview of intergenerational trauma sharing interviews from students, parents/caregivers, and psychologists. We'll discuss the challenges that parents who came to the U.S. as refugees face with the education system. We'll also discuss the experiences of non-refugee families. We'll invite participants to investigate their experiences with intergenerational trauma and imagine ways of healing. We hope that people will leave this workshop with ideas of how to break the cycle of trauma within their schools and communities.

Contact: auishmap@gmail.com

  • “These facilitators were incredible. They did so much prep work ahead of time and were so well-prepared. It was one of the best workshops I have ever attended in my 13+ years of attending workshops and conferences. If they had adult support - the adult took a very VERY hands off role which helped this feel like an authentically student-led space.”

    -workshop participant

  • “All of the interactive parts of the workshop were so wonderful! We had so much fun and made so many connections while talking about a pretty heavy topic and I thought the students led with grace, poise, and joy!” -workshop participant

Microaggressions: Intent vs Impact

Randolph High School Students: Anthony Cameron, Sierra Bond, Sea Moreno, Ash Deyette, Ryan Squire, Layla Grimaldi, Mallory Field, Avigail Wheeler, Rowan Williams

Microaggressions happen in school every day, to all kinds of students. To figure out how big of a problem we were dealing with, our school's Racial Justice group surveyed all the students to collect data. Our data opened our eyes about how much of a problem our school faced, so one step at a time, we are doing workshops and educating ourselves more about microaggressions and what they can be, and how they hurt people. This workshop will help students with strategies for leading their own teacher workshops and collecting data.

Contact: TKelman@orangesouthwest.org

  • “I liked the conversational format of the workshop, and working in small groups really worked so everyone could get their words out and heard.”

    -workshop participant

  • “The youth leaders were open, vulnerable and professional.” -workshop participant

Youth Leaders for Racial Justice

Nasra Hassan (student), Rose Howell (student), Nadia Sylla (student), Autumn Bangoura (Equity Instructional Leader at Burlington School District)

"Youth Leaders for Racial Justice" is a student-led workshop facilitated by Burlington School District middle and high schoolers who have attended the Summer Racial Justice Academy.  Workshop participants will have a chance to hear the student stories of how they became involved as youth consultants for the school district that advocate for racial justice.  They will share glimpses of their capstone project presentations and their recommendations for change and field questions in a Q and A panel.  The workshop will culminate in restorative circle conversations where participants will get a chance to brainstorm how to leverage youth-adult partnership and youth leadership in their own spheres of influence.

Contact: equity@bsdvt.org

  • “BSD youth were leading this one and they rocked it. My favorite part was them leading the restorative circle conversation in small groups on youth adult partnership.”

    -workshop participant

  • “Youth leadership, time to ask questions and hear responses from students, time to connect in circles - the format was varied and interactive.” -workshop participant

Igniting Change: Effective Youth Organizing

U-32 Students: Jasper Lorien, Maya Elliott, Avery Cochran, Wilder Brown, Emily Cook, Kate Reilly

Youth leaders from U-32’s Seeking Social Justice will present on how to organize for social change, such as changing district policies, creating workshops for teachers and peers, fundraising, staging marches, walkouts, and other protests. They will focus on the step-by-step process, including building measurable objectives, communicating with people in power, and building support.

The audience will be invited to share issues in their community that are important to them and will work with presenters to build a measurable action plan.

Contact: mallison@u32.org

  • “It was hands-on and great to hear from students. ” -workshop participant

  • “Loved the systems change model the students presented. ”

    -workshop participant