Case Study: High Schoolers Take on Race, Identity & Allyship

In the Summer of 2020, a group of Brookline MA High School Students, passionate about initiating open dialogue to create a more racially aware culture, created Speak Ur Mind (SUM). The challenge: A lack of education, resources, and time for students to discuss these issues productively. The SUM team developed a curriculum for teaching middle schoolers, hoping that by the time those students got to high school they would have a guide and tools, to enable them to discuss race and other aspects of identity, starting with their own. Before SparkShare, SUM struggled to even get an opportunity to launch their curriculum due to a lack of respect, trust, and credibility from adults and administration in the district. In 2021, SUM joined SparkShare; and through Summits and direct support, ideas, and inspiration from the Network, gained the skills and confidence to re-engage district and school administration. SUM received the support from teachers and administration and delivered their curriculum across three schools and 70 students during the school day. Success: Teachers experienced students as fully engaged in the curriculum, excited to come to class. Based on the team’s success, other middle and elementary schools, and youth organizations started reaching out to SUM asking for their curriculum and inviting them to teach.