From November 28th through December 1st, five Morristown-Beard School students and four faculty members are participating in the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) and People of Color Conference (PoCC) in Nashville, TN.
Morristown-Beard participants are: students Quiya Harris ’19, Daniel Levine ’19, Nick Lombardi ’21, Laury Senecal ’19, and Chloe van der Poel ’21 as well as Upper School English Teacher Kyle Augustyniak, Head of Upper School Darren Burns, Director of Diversity & Inclusion and Upper School History Teacher Klarissa Karosen, and Middle School Science Teacher Archana Sankar.
Now in its 25th year, SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9–12) from around the country. The theme of this year’s conference is “Listening for the Grace Note: Finding Harmony Amid Cacophony.” Participants examine issues of social justice, develop effective cross-cultural communication skills, practice expression through the arts, and learn networking principles and strategies. SDLC encourages students to self-reflect, form allies and build communities. They are encouraged to apply the leadership principles they develop at the conference within their own communities.
The PoCC, now in its 31st year, offers more than 75 workshops focused on developing leadership, curricular and professional skills to help strengthen and sustain inclusive school communities. The theme of this year’s PoCC is “Equitable Schools and Inclusive Communities: Harmony, Discord, & the Notes in Between.”
Speakers included Marian Wright Edelman, founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund; Marc Lamont Hill, host of BET News; and Lisa Ling, executive producer and host of This is Life on CNN.