As a culmination to the 8th grade’s year-long Peer Leadership training with the Berkshire County’s District Attorney’s office, the class presented its Diversity Fair today. Student leaders trained during their advisory periods every throughout the fall and winter terms. Today, Grades 4 – 9 participated in different activities based on eight dimensions of diversity: ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.
Our 8th graders served as student ambassadors for the day and led their peers through a series of interactive, thought-provoking activities which examined racial, cultural, religious, physical, learning, and language differences.
Several of the 8th grade Peer Leaders also attended a leadership conference last week with other middle schools from around the county. The STRIVE (Students Teaching Respect, Integrity, Values, and Equality) Conference discussed many topics our students face, including decisions around drugs and alcohol use, different relationships to family and friends, and physical, learning, and mental differences. Several of our students were moved to support the LGBT community and proposed to the administration that BCD’s Upper School observe the National LGBT Day of Silence on Friday, April 17. As a show of solidarity, students may choose to engage in this optional activity for the day.
Students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 also reflected on the acceptance and celebration of differences through a puppet program called Kids on the Block. Students discussed bullying, inclusion, and what it means to be a bystander who can help to make a difference.
Congratulations to our students for their initiative and very successful day!
BCD thanks Carol Mulcahy and Cheryl Penna from the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office for their excellent work with our 8th grade students.
