Mendon and Sutherland High School Students Participated in ROC2Change Student Summit on Race
Mendon and Sutherland High School students were among students from 39 local high schools who participated in the 2021 ROC2Change Student Summit on Race hosted by Hilton and East High Schools, held virtually on May 26.
With the theme of "Bridging the Gap," which was centered around building the bridges necessary for a healthy community, the Summit began with a welcome from student leaders, including East High Superintendent Dr. Shaun Nelms, Hilton Superintendent Dr. Casey Kosiorek and Center for Youth Executive Director Dr. Elaine Spaull. Jocelyn Goldberg-Schaible, founder of the Princeton Club of Rochester, introduced the 13 applicants for the Princeton Prize in Race Relations.
Dr. Collin D. Williams, Senior Director at Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), was the keynote speaker. An educator, author, and speaker addressing issues of race, gender, and socioeconomic status through the lens of sport, Williams' research explores how undergraduates’ social experiences influence engagement, academic performance, campus climate, and post-college outcomes, especially for students and athletes from low-income, first-generation college, and underrepresented minority backgrounds.
Students then participated in three breakout groups that focused on education, health care, and social unrest amid a global pandemic - as related to race. After a culminating activity, the individual schools had time to plan a video on their school's specific action steps to improve racial equity.