Summer Equity & Justice Institute (Grades 6-12)
Summer Equity & Justice Institute
The Summer Equity and Justice Institute (SEJI) is a series of weekly sessions designed to engage students in their examination of what defines leadership in the 21st century. Inspiring ethical leadership is a hallmark of the Sidwell Friends education and Strategic Plan. The sessions provide opportunities for students in grades 6-12 to explore the rewards and challenges of serving the common good, framed with a different topic every week. Participants will learn skills and tools to help them work on social justice causes and look at the interconnectedness of critical issues facing our world today and in the future. Individual and group projects, guest speakers, simulations, and interactive games allow participants to engage and collaborate with each other as they dive deeper into each topic.
All sessions will be conducted in-person and space is limited. Participants are welcome to register for as many weekly sessions as they would like. Pricing is listed below, per weekly session.
Participants should bring a laptop or tablet with wi-fi capability each day. Please contact summer@sidwell.edu should this be a barrier to participation in any course.
Sidwell Friends rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students are eligible to earn 5-10 hours/session toward their 60-hour community engagement graduation requirement by participating in Summer Equity and Justice Institute sessions. Hours will vary by the week depending on specific components of the program and students should contact summer@sidwell.edu for further information.
Sidwell Summer is committed to making the SEJI workshops accessible to everyone. Sidwell Friends students can receive financial aid for the SEJI workshops and non-Sidwell Friends students can apply for Summer Sponsorship.
Dates, Hours, and Fees
Summer 2024 Themes
Stories From The Future: Manifest a Just and Equitable World
In this workshop, participants will examine the complex interplay between present-day social structures, political policies, and technological advancements, and how these factors may shape the future. Through a combination of critical analysis and creative storytelling, participants will envision diverse futures, ranging from utopian societies to dystopian worlds. They will explore the repercussions of current actions and inactions, shedding light on the urgent need for societal change and policy reform.
Central to this workshop is the emphasis on social justice, highlighting the interconnectedness of critical issues such as environmental sustainability, economic equality, racial justice, and gender equity. Participants will be encouraged to think critically about these themes and weave them into their narratives, fostering a deeper understanding of the complexities of our world.
Throughout the workshop, participants will hone their storytelling skills as they craft compelling fictional tales set in the futures they envision. These stories will serve as powerful tools for reflection and advocacy, offering glimpses into potential futures and inspiring dialogue about the actions needed to shape a more just and equitable world.
At the culmination of the workshop, participants' stories will be compiled into an anthology, providing a platform for their voices to be heard and their visions of the future to be shared with a wider audience. Through this collective endeavor, we aim to spark imagination, provoke dialogue, and catalyze action towards a more inclusive, compassionate and sustainable future.
Led by: JGo Gordon, Co-founder of Written Out Loud, an innovative, collaborative storytelling program. JGo has a B.A., in Anthropology and African & African American Studies from Yale University and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Columbia University's Teachers College.
Fox Tank- Ethical Business Practices
As a Gen Zer - you have an incredible opportunity to create, support, and cultivate ethical business practices. Each purchase you make - from your mocha or smoothie to your clothes and shoes - can make a difference and send a message!
This workshop will explore concepts of corporate social responsibility such as environmental sustainability, fair labor practices, diversity and inclusion, ethical marketing and how those can be used to enhance reputation, customer loyalty and brand image. Using the on campus Fox Den store and cafe as our classroom, participants will dive into the operations of a business - from inventory and marketing to customer service, POS systems and budgets. We will then use case studies and explore local businesses that are built on specific social issues including:
Bitty & Beau’s Coffee - more than a place to grab a cup of coffee - it’s an experience that’s changing the way people see other people - proudly employing 400+ individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities nationwide.
Together We Bake - a comprehensive workforce training and personal development program to help underserved women gain self- confidence, transferable workforce skills, and invaluable hands-on experience which will allow them to find sustainable employment and move toward self-sufficiency.
District Taco and others - Minority Owned Business impacting communities through values, local sourcing, and community service.
Through simulations and activities, participants will create mock business mission and vision statements, design new products and marketing campaigns, and culminating in a Fox Tank competition of pitching your business idea to the judges!
Led by: Karen McCann McClelland, MEd, MBA, is Director of Auxiliary Programs at Sidwell Friends School and oversees the operation of a number of ‘businesses’ within the school including the Fox Den Cafe and Store, Early Childhood Learning Center and Sidwell Summer. Karen is a social entrepreneur helping to design and create programs and ‘businesses’ within independent schools that have a positive impact on the community.
Food Justice in the DMV
Combining classroom-learning and hands-on experience with partner organizations in the DMV, this course will address the issue of food insecurity in our local landscape. We will explore the root causes of food insecurity as well as the current landscape affecting this issue in our area, hearing from guest speakers and conducting research in teams and independently. In addition to time spent in the classroom, we will travel to at least two off-campus sites to volunteer directly with organizations working to combat the issue of food insecurity and work toward food justice in our community. Students will have the opportunity to earn between 10 and 15 hours of community service credit depending on their school’s requirements for documentation.
Led by: Alex McCoy ‘04, Center for Ethical Leadership Coordinator, Community Engagement Coordinator
CEO of My Youth
Embark on a transformative odyssey with CEO of My Youth, a dynamic journey that propels students into the heart of the future of work, industry 4.0, and the global tech economy. This visionary accelerator combines technology, innovation, and social impact, cultivating young minds to become leaders of positive change. Participants emerge not just as leaders but as compassionate architects of a future where tech innovation and social impact walk hand in hand.
Course Objectives:
Innovation:
Foster an environment where ethical leadership and technological advancement coexist.
Global Tech Fluency:
Empower students to navigate the complex landscape of the global tech economy with fluency, ensuring they are not just users but architects of technology solutions for a connected world.
Entrepreneurial Spirit Aligned with Impact:
Cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit that aligns with a profound sense of impact. Students will learn to channel their innovative ideas into ventures that serve the common good, address societal challenges, and contribute to the economy.
Social Justice through Tech Empowerment:
Inspire students to leverage technology as a powerful tool for advancing social justice. The program encourages them to explore and create tech-driven solutions that foster equality and inclusivity, embracing diversity of perspectives.
Real-World Experience & Start-Up Mentality:
Equip students to build startups, become relentless problem solvers, and collaborate with real-world companies to solve authentic challenges. This immersive approach ensures participants walk away with tangible experience, enhancing college applications and preparing them for a future as innovators and entrepreneurs.
Breaking Barriers: The Dynamic History of Disability Rights
In this class, we will examine the history of disability rights in the U.S. and accessibility issues and laws through examining Judy Heumann's advocacy work. Through film and discussion we will examine the grassroots of public policy in disability rights and have opportunities to think and design inclusively through hands-on activities within the Sidwell and D.C. community. Additionally, we will examine the intentions of federal laws that support the rights of people with disabilities in education and think creatively about what the future of inclusivity could entail. There will also be opportunities to hear individual stories of people with disabilities and how their lives have been impacted.
Led by: Jane Singleton is founder and executive coach of Launchpad for Life, LLC. She previously was the Middle School Learning Specialist at Sidwell Friends School.
Teen Consultants
This innovative program empowers participants with a strategic mindset, problem-solving skills and business savvy through simulated real-world consulting experiences. Collaborate in small teams of junior consultants to design practical recommendations for real business issues faced by popular companies, including Apple, Coca-Cola and Disney. Create and deliver impactful client-ready presentations while learning about careers in consulting and virtually interacting with guest speakers from the consulting world.
For their service hours, participants will design a business plan to consult with a local non-profit focusing on a service project that will engage upper school students. These plans will be presented to the Auxiliary Programs team in a "Shark Tank" format.
Led by: Chuchi Arevalo, CFA, CFE | Founder and CEO of SPARK business academy, an organization that is“Empowering the next generation through financial literacy”. Leveraging 20 years of professional expertise in business & finance and experience in education, SPARK designs and delivers innovative programs (including after-school enrichment classes, workshops and summer camps) at 300+ schools across the US (including many of the top institutions in the country) and globally.
The New Jim Code: How Biased AI Increases Inequality
The course title was inspired by scholars Michelle Alexander and Ruha Benjamin and their critique of systems of social control. This course considers the ways that systemic racism and implicit bias impact the technologies that we use today. Unfortunately, many citizens believe technology is neutral, but in reality it is heavily influenced by those who make it, the assumptions they make, and the history that it is built upon. Artificial Intelligence systems are often built on western-centric and biased data that produces inequitable and sometimes blatantly bigoted results. Surveillance technologies and the data produced by them negatively impact the most marginalized among us. From large language models (like ChatGPT) and image generators, to job and mortgage screening algorithms, to facial and voice recognition AI, we already live with new black-box technologies that citizens don't fully understand. This course critically considers essential questions around new technologies related to ethics, equity, and justice in the hopes of graduating a new generation of civic and professional leaders equipped to push back against inequitable technology. It empowers learners to establish better, safer, and healthier connections to these new technologies and invites them to use their knowledge to help others.
Led by: Nate Green, Middle School Academic Technology Coordinator at Sidwell Friends School.
GenHERation® Summer Intensive
Designed to equip students with the tools to succeed in the classroom, college, and beyond, the GenHERation® Summer Intensive at Sidwell Friends School is a rigorous, dynamic, and immersive experience that inspires young women to achieve their personal and professional goals by encouraging them to think big and push the limits of what’s possible.
Led by: Katlyn Grasso, the Founder and CEO of GenHERation®, which is a network where young women and companies connect. Katlyn is a graduate of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania where she received a B.S. in Economics with concentrations in finance and strategic globalization. She received the inaugural Penn President’s Engagement Prize, which provides graduating seniors with $150,000 to develop ventures that have the potential to change the world. Katlyn was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List as one of the most influential entrepreneurs in the world.
During the GenHERation® Summer Intensive at Sidwell Friends School, students will:
Learn from the most innovative companies in America through panel discussions, mentoring sessions, and custom-designed challenges
Meet powerful leaders from Fortune 500 companies, tech giants, retailers, government agencies, and sports franchises
Participate in skill-building simulations to practically apply learnings and real-world business practices
Collaborate as a team to develop and present a venture to a panel of community leaders
Explore different career paths to discover future job and internship opportunities
Refine their leadership, creativity, critical thinking, communication, entrepreneurial, analytical, and problem-solving skills
All participants who successfully complete the program will earn a GenHERation® Summer Intensive Leadership Certificate.