A Student-Led Project Made Our School More Inclusive


by | 06.21.20

Kayla Rago is an educator in Indiana. Follow her on Twitter @kaylarago.

Our project began with a student asking a question regarding the artwork displayed around our school. While looking at art with our media specialist, students couldn’t help but notice that the pictures hanging around our school represented mostly white people.
 
My students immediately wanted this to change and asked about hanging photographs around the school that represent all ages and races.
 
They drafted a letter to our principal explaining their desire to bring about change:

Once the letter was delivered, our principal took immediate action and funded our project.

I found a photographer, and the children generated a list of places they wanted to take pictures and what they wanted represented through these pictures. Once we had our images, we celebrated the hanging of new canvas prints throughout our school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

 
The response from our community has been an outpouring of support from everyone – from students and teachers to community members and school visitors.

All of this came to life because of a question by a child and a community focused on empowering students. The students were the driving force behind it all.

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