Global Education and Community Engagement Students Present at Civic Engagement Conference in Atlanta

At Rivers, Global Education Scholars lead discussions, organize events, and foster global awareness within the community, playing a key role in creating a more globally aware and inclusive school environment. They meet once per week to refine projects, explore leadership strategies, and develop meaningful connections with international organizations. Community Engagement interns elevate current events, support the Rivers in Action Program, and serve as the student voice on all things community engagement. The conference gave Rivers students the opportunity to engage with other passionate individuals and expand the reach of their work, leading sessions attended by other conference participants. 

MacLaughlan, Pugatch, and Sorel presented together at a session called “Louder Together: Empowering Female Voices,” which focused on female voices and women’s empowerment. “The feedback we received was very positive,” said MacLaughlan. “Students and adults told us our presentation felt thoughtful, clear, and well put together. We also generated a lot of discussion during our Q&A portion, which made it feel more meaningful.” 

Soares presented at a session titled  “What Does Economic Inequality Cost Us?” “I started with an activity where each participant received an ‘income paper’ showing a job, income level, and expenses, including housing, utilities, food, transportation, and discretionary spending,” said Soares. Based on these assignments, audience members participated in a simulation of a money-spending scenario, needing to take into account rent, electricity, water, food, subscriptions, etc. “During reflection, many ‘high-income’ participants had money left over for savings and extras, while ‘low-income’ participants struggled to cover basic needs,” said Soares, who used the exercise to illustrate the reality of economic inequality. Participants shared how difficult it was in some instances to have to choose between electricity and food, for example.

In addition to presenting at the conference, Rivers students also engaged in guided dialogues with other conference participants on a range of topics. In one dialogue, titled “What Do You Care About and What Are You Doing About It?,” students explored issues that matter most to them, what motivates them, what holds them back, and what helps them take action. In another dialogue, titled “Purpose in a Divided World,” students considered how polarization and individualism affect connection and collaboration. 

The conference brought students together from all over the U.S. and a group from Canada, something that was particularly impactful for the Rivers cohort.

“I had a lot of great conversations with students from different regions, and it was easy to connect because we were all there for similar reasons,” said MacLaughlan. “We talked about what our schools do differently, what challenges we face, and what we hope to change. I even made a few new friends, which made the experience feel more personal and fun.”

Pugatch concurred: “I was able to talk to a lot of incredible people who I learned from about different experiences they have had at their respective schools. Every interaction was powerful, and [it was] so inspirational to meet like-minded students who are actually interested in taking initiative through effective leadership.” 

Rivers students also observed differences in experience between students from independent schools in the Boston area and other regions. Soares commented, “One major theme I took away from the conference is that education systems and students can be vastly different depending on region, especially between the North and South in the U.S. I was surprised [to hear about] how blatant and unchecked racism is in some Southern schools, as well as how different their curriculums are, which gave very different historical perspectives than what I’ve been taught.”

Soares also noted from the first dialogue that many young people feel disempowered to make change, often because of school bureaucracy or the belief that students aren’t taken seriously due to their age. However, she said, “The conference showed me that change is possible when students work together and have the right support.”

Villagrán commented that the conference has already inspired students to take action. “Motivated by these insights, our students are now working to create and host a conference centering women in the Boston area, open to students from both public and independent schools,” she said. 

“I walked away with a deeper appreciation for what Rivers offers because many schools do not have the same support,” reflected MacLaughlan. “It made me feel responsible to take advantage of the opportunities I have and to encourage others at Rivers to get involved.”