YEP-DC's Annual Conference Gives a Voice to All Stakeholders

On the first Saturday of spring, about 250 young education professionals from across the DMV area opted not to spend their day outside, but instead went back to school—to attend YEP-DC’s third annual policy-to-practice conference.

This year’s theme, “The Future Is Now: Investing in Our Students,” was thoughtfully woven into all of the days’ sessions, beginning with a student performance during the introductory breakfast. Dashawn Rustin, a Cesar Chavez Parkside High School senior, energized the crowd and received a standing ovation for her empowered rendition of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” Conference participants were also encouraged to share their own thoughts and reflections throughout the day by participating in a Twitter challenge, taking pictures to demonstrate the importance of their work around education, and writing on a graffiti wall what student investment means to them. (View photos from conference here.)

The conference sessions were divided into three categories: Change on the Ground, Change in the Community, and the Big Picture. While the individual session topics ranged from ed tech in the classroom to education in Congress, there was a noticeable emphasis on letting practitioners, parents, and students tell their own stories. Simulating the setup and agenda of a school community night, Ellie Cantor of the parent engagement group, Turning the Page, explained why the desks in her session were situated in a circle: “Everyone has knowledge and information to bring, and that should be validated,” she said. 

With this mentality, the team from Turning the Page let three parent leaders facilitate much of the workshop. They emphasized the need for parent engagement in any child’s education but also highlighted the personal benefits they have experienced with their increased involvement. All three parents are now leaders of their school parent-teacher associations, and one was recently appointed to the District of Columbia Public Schools Parent Cabinet, a representative board of parents that meets with Chancellor Kaya Henderson on a monthly basis. One mother, Dawn Bedminster, mentioned that she was encouraged to attend the first community night at her children’s school and said that she has “been there ever since.” She added, “I’m not sure where I’m going, but I’m going to soar…. I’m in it for the long haul with my kids.” 

The importance of family and community engagement was highlighted in a number of other sessions throughout conference, including sessions about bringing community partnerships into the classroom, building family-school relationships through home visits, and using a data-driven and structured approach to districtwide community partnerships.

Since the conference theme was about investing in students, it was particularly impactful to hear from students directly—in their performances, but also during breakout sessions. One session featured a panel of Chavez students discussing their senior thesis project, which requires them to write a 15-to-20-page policy paper and present it to professionals in the policy world. Attendees took to Twitter to share how students embraced positive change and followed their personal passions. 

The conference ended on a similar note, featuring exciting performances by the School Without Walls B.O.M.B. Squad dance team and the drum line from Cesar Chavez. Beginning and ending the conference with student performances reiterated that investing in students should always be at the forefront of our work in education—from policy to practice.

Amanda Klein, guest blogger, is a community school coordinator in Baltimore and a doctoral candidate in K-12 education leadership and policy. She was a blogger for Recess in 2013-14. She can be reached via email or Twitter.