(November 22, 2024) The power of student voice took center stage on Friday, November 22, 2024, as scholars from the Rochester City School District and Penfield schools co-hosted the ROC2Change Student Summit on Race at Monroe 2 - Orleans BOCES in Spencerport.
Students from World of Inquiry, Edison Career and Technology High School, and Penfield joined peers from Monroe County for a day of meaningful conversations about connection and collaboration. Students participated in breakout sessions primarily designed to encourage engagement and foster deeper connections. Moving from different stations, students spoke about their likes, dislikes, goals, favorite interests, and future aspirations, creating opportunities, to build rapport and understanding. Other breakout sessions featured "gamer" themes, engaging students in movement-based activities that underscored teamwork and active participation.
“While planning together as two vibrant communities who have been systemically separated, we thought the focus should be on what we can accomplish when students come together – both today at the summit and beyond,” shared one student organizer.
ROC2Change was established in 2016 as students across Monroe County began to come together to address race relations. Hundreds of students from more than 30 schools have participated in the full-day summit in years past. These summits encourage dialogue about race through speakers, student-led activities, and sessions. Each summit also includes time for students to collaborate on bringing the ROC2Change progress and plans back to their respective schools and communities. For more information, please visit www.roc2change.org.
