The one thing that you have that nobody else has is you.
Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision.
– Neil Gaiman
Last night, seven Crossroads students, Maggie, Mark, and I participated in the ISSL Secondary Schools Night at Villa Duchesne. This event is part of our admission program. Maggie prepares the students and designs the presentation so that prospective families hear the voices of our students more than any adult voice. Mark framed this well in his introduction, and our students spoke with confidence and clarity about how we are smart and good, about how flexibility provides balance, and about how everyone has a voice.
At Crossroads, we believe that everyone has a place, a voice, and something to contribute. You know from being inside the school that each student’s artistic voice is represented on the walls. If you’ve visited during all-school announcements, young people and adults stand together to give announcements. Musical Mondays offer space and time for our musicians (and the occasional comedian, I’ve heard) to share their voices in unique ways.
I met with student council recently to encourage their voice in matters related to the programming and leadership of Crossroads. MJ Butler, a current senior, will present to the faculty Thursday, and Zoey and Eleanor have advocated for a Crossroads GSA. Other students visit my office occasionally with their thoughts and concerns. When I visit classrooms, I am always interested in whose voices I hear the most. I often find that I hear the students’ voices more than the teacher’s. Cultivating each student’s voice so that they advocate for themselves and what they can contribute with confidence is a value at Crossroads College Prep.
With great expectations,
Jason