Dear CAST Family,
As a community, we are called to:
- Honor George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the many other Black lives lost as a result of racism, intolerance or discrimination
- Acknowledge that as a country we have failed to value, honor, and protect Black lives
- Confront the constant injustices and inequities faced by communities of color
- Address the systemic racism that continues to plague our country
Since our founding, CAST has been committed to reinventing schooling for our young learners, inside and outside the classroom. Our efforts are guided by our four pillars: Equity, Relationships, Student Voice & Agency, and Authentic Experiences. We believe our students will be the leaders of tomorrow because they are positioned to drive change today.
This Wednesday, June 10th, we will kick off a 3-part series for our CAST students and educators that will enable our community to transform our thoughts and feelings into constructive, actionable outcomes. Throughout this process, we will be partnering with local leaders and community organizations to enrich our dialogue.
Session 1 – Expressing Yourself
In partnership with Say Sí, we will provide a platform where students can transform their thoughts and feelings into visual, written, or oral expressions. The focus will be on acknowledging the disproportionate impact of inequities on people of color and institutional violence against African Americans.
Session 2 – Using Your Voice
In this session, we will discuss the importance of engaging locally and effectively communicating your message. The goal will be to develop individual plans to turn voice into action.
Session 3 – Embracing Your Community
In our final session, we will combine all that we have learned to create a student led manifesto on equity and inclusion for the CAST Schools Network. This manifesto will serve as a guiding document for the networks continued work to help all students reach their full potential – both at school and within the greater community.
As our leaders of tomorrow, our students’ voices must be heard now. As our future protectors, inventors, and sources of comfort and inspiration, their ideas need to be seen and recognized. Email us at info@castschools.com if you would like to join us in our efforts. There are multiple mentorship opportunities currently available as well as many other ways to join the discussion.
