SCASD Equity and Inclusivity

Thank you for welcoming some of our new and returning peer advocates! We are looking forward to the Fall!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Waverly Huang (she/they). Waverly is a rising senior at State High and a 2nd Year Peer Advocate. Last year, as a first year, Waverly and some other peer advocates formed a group, outside of SCASD, and helped organized a Black Lives Matter demonstration the following summer. Waverly recalls it as being a very enriching and empowering experience and inspired them to want to do more. Welcome!

Please extend a warm welcome to Layla Thornton (she/her). Layla is a rising senior at State High and a first year Peer Advocate. Welcome!

Please extend a warm welcome to Lydia Roberts (she/her). Lydia is a rising 10th grader at at State High. Lydia is a 1st year Peer Advocate. Welcome!

Please extend a warm welcome to Kaleigh McGarry (she/her). Kaleigh is a rising senior and a 1st year peer advocate. Kaleigh is also a member of SCASD’s Equity in Athletics workgroup. Welcome!!

Please extend a warm welcome to Love’ McGriff (she/her). Love’ is a rising 9th grader and is a 1st year peer advocate! Welcome!!

Please extend a warm welcome to Katherine Kennedy-Phillips (she/they). Katherine is a rising 10th grader at Delta High and a 2nd year peer advocate. Katherine is a trained peer counselor and was a member of Delta’s No Place For Hate committee. Welcome!

Please extend a warm welcome Elena Wright (she/her). Elena is a rising 11th grader and a 1st year peer advocate! Welcome!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Catherine Wang (she/her). Catherine is a rising senior at State High. Catherine is a 1st year peer advocate. Catherine started out as a peer advocate affiliate last semester and started the Cultural Celebrations Committee in the Office of Equity which focuses on raising awareness and visibility of cultural celebrations and holidays of underrepresented students and families in SCASD. Welcome!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Maya Cienfuegos (she/her). Maya is a rising sophomore at State High and is a 1st year Peer Advocate. Welcome!!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Emily Zhang (she/her). Emily is a 1st year peer advocate and a rising junior at State High. Welcome!!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Aneaus Smith (he/him). Aneaus is a 3rd year peer advocate and a rising 9th grade student at Delta. Aneaus co-led Delta Middle and Delta High’s No Place for Hate Initiative and was instrumental in Delta receiving the designation of No Place for Hate for a second year in a row. Aneaus was a panelist for a professional development workshop for SCASD teachers titled Why Equity: Voices of Students, he also served as a camp counselor and facilitator for the Jr. Peer Advocates Academy. These are only a few of Aneaus’s contributions to his school community!

We would like to extend a warm welcome to Owen. (He/him). Owen is a rising senior at State High’s and a second year Peer Advocate. Welcome!

Right now, we are in a critical moment where more Americans are engaging with the topic of race than ever before. There is so much work to be done, but people who aren't accustomed to thinking this much about race are struggling to condition themselves. Factor in a global pandemic, economic insecurity, and the stressors of working and schooling from home, and allies are at an increasingly high risk of burnout. Marginalized and oppressed people need allies to learn to pace the...mselves. But how? https://www.upworthy.com/effecting-change-can-be-exhausting

Please see a wonderful virtual event occurring with Step Afrika through the Center for Performing Arts! https://cpa.psu.edu/events/meetingthemoment3

The form to order meals for December 23 is now available at https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLScJNfsa6tuFQqG9D/viewform. Families with students attending Inst...ructional Support Centers are able to place an order for this distribution as these meals are for days when school is out of session. All meals kits will include a 16" Big Daddy's Pizza! See more

So excited! Gearing up for our first annual Virtual Equity Leadership Summit co-sponsored by the State High REACT team. On December 16th from 8am-3:40pm, invited presenters and SCASD teachers and students will present on the importance of leadership and equity in schools to 55 student leaders. Let’s go!!

Learn more about International Day of Persons with Disabilities here: https://www.un.org//obser/day-of-persons-with-disabilities

Today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Despite being so numerous, persons with disabilities are still overwhelmingly overlooked in times of emergency, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are five things you need to know about living with a disability during COVID-19 from an international lens. https://youtu.be/OELGwOHmg_Q

From Teaching Tolerance This #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, consider not only the history you teach, but the range of contemporary stories you uplift. This new Marvel series provides an opportunity to engage students with storytelling by and about Indigenous people.