Empowering Change: A Reflection of BLM Action Week at WEDS!

Our community recently engaged in the National Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, a week that focuses on raising awareness of racial injustice in education and deepening our understanding of the Black Lives Matter Movement. 

In Ms. Bulvanoski & Ms. Bardelli and Ms. Block & Ms. Canner's Classes, our youngest learners began with an introduction to the significance of BLM Week of Action and explored their 13 Guiding Principles. Their discussions were accompanied by learning about Stacey Abrams through her book "Stacey's Extraordinary Words" and a creative paper book shelf craft. Ms. Marks & Ms. Montfort’s Class also read this book, along with excerpts from Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena and Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up By Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkne, which were central to their classroom conversations about restorative justice, empathy, and loving engagement.

Meanwhile, Ms. Auslander & Ms. Sibille's Class delved into a reading of "The Skin You Live In." Through a group activity, they shared a physical trait they may have always wanted to change or that they had had a negative experience with. Classmates then shared a trait they admired about another classmate. It was a very loving exercise and we are so proud of them for being so brave and vulnerable about their feelings. 

After studying the 13 Guiding Principles, our oldest students in Ms. McGowan, Ms. Rose, and Ms. Palimteri's Classes selected a principle, brainstorming ways to integrate these values into their daily lives. The culmination of their efforts was a group presentation, where everyone presented their chosen principle through their coloring pages and insightful self-reflections, helping to share all the vital principles of the movement.

As we reflect on the experiences of BLM Action Week at WEDS, we're reminded of the power of collective action in driving meaningful change and fostering an even stronger sense of inclusivity and belonging for our community!