On Monday, all MICDS 7th and 8th graders engaged in the «Ram Impact Summit (RISE)», a day filled with interactive activities, discussion and storytelling on the theme of «Being an Upstander».
Jen Schuckman, Head of Middle School, kicked off the day with some inspirational remarks. «I urge you to dig deep today – think about your actions and words (or lack of) and how that might be impacting relationships around you … And then think about every single person in this room and how you can be a difference maker. Think about how your best self might lift someone’s spirits and validate their belonging in our community.»
Several teachers shared their own personal stories on being an upstander. The students then broke into small group discussions and activities to further explore what it means to be an upstander and how to identify and respond to microaggressions. There were also large group activities and games to learn more about each other and build community and unity. For example, Ramversity, the MICDS Playback Theater Group, acted out scenes common to middle school experiences during an interactive theatrical workshop. The day ended with an open mic session where students could share their thoughts and stories with their peers.
The «Ram Impact Summit» activities and conversations help students build community and unity. To build on these efforts throughout the year, students will be encouraged to build deeper relationships, be an upstander, and share stories and conversations both informally and programmatically, in and out of school.