We believe in creating equitable schools.

(Image Source: Port City Daily)

On Sunday, November 14, a small group of students, teachers, administrators, and representatives from the national organization Student Voice met to discuss the application and selection process of a cohort of students that will participate in New Hanover County School’s Student Voice. 

During this meeting, the application form was finalized and the selection criteria was drafted. This group wants the cohort to consist of 5-15 students that represent different schools and mindsets throughout New Hanover County Schools. Students need no prior experience to apply due to the goal of building skill sets through the program.  

A few students will be chosen from each school to participate in this program, However, any student who fills out the application form will be invited to attend SLI meetings and get their voice heard. 

The next step of implementing Student Voice in NHCS was getting the word out. In the meeting, there was discussion about potential recruitment processes and who would be ideal and want to apply.

The target audience for the cohort of students is students who value quality over quantity, who bring a diverse lifestyle and perspective to the table, who value communication and collaboration, and students who might not be involved in other leadership groups yet. 

To publicize this opportunity, the team of students and administrators decided on next steps for each person. The students involved in recruitment had tasks such as meeting with their school’s principal, making a Canva graphic, and creating social media accounts. The teachers and admin involved were tasked with adding to the recruitment list, spreading the word, and sharing about it on NHCS social media as the county. 

After all this was discussed, the meeting closed out with writing a three sentence description to give a summary and share on multiple available platforms. The statement goes as follows… 

“We’re calling on high school students across NHCS with passion, enthusiasm, and an interest in changing your school. Help NHCS form a representative student body at the forefront of education decision making. We’re looking for creative minds from unique backgrounds to represent youth voices and collaborate with adult allies.”