{"id":14311,"date":"2025-10-10T16:16:21","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T20:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=14311"},"modified":"2025-10-10T16:16:21","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T20:16:21","slug":"students-foster-a-culture-of-belonging-at-power-of-we-workshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/students-foster-a-culture-of-belonging-at-power-of-we-workshop\/","title":{"rendered":"Students foster a culture of belonging at \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The third annual \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop took place Oct. 4 at Kellam High School. All middle and high school TIDE coalitions attended, including Great Neck Middle School, accompanied by principal Paige Scherr and social studies teacher Mark Mugler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

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This year middle school TIDE coalitions joined the \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop, including Larkspur Middle School, along with school counselor Shante Swindell and art teacher Jacob Mallett.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A paper snowball fight broke the ice for a small group of middle school students attending the third annual \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop Oct. 4 at Kellam High School.<\/p>\n

They were among approximately 200 VBCPS students, members of their schools\u2019 TIDE coalitions, who gathered on a Saturday to focus on ways to promote inclusiveness and belonging in their schools.<\/p>\n

TIDE stands for \u201cTogetherness through Inclusion, Diversity and Equity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donned in \u201cYou Matter\u201d T-shirts, each read aloud a note on balled-up pieces of paper.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have seven cats and play baseball,\u201d \u201cI like spiders\u201d and \u201cI climbed the Eiffel Tower\u201d were some of the descriptions students wrote about themselves, most of whom had never met.<\/p>\n

They guessed who wrote what, solely based on appearance.<\/p>\n

A discussion ensued about stereotypes and the importance of not making assumptions and judging people by their looks or background.<\/p>\n

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Tina Garfield from FACE and Tallwood High senior Allayshia Pearson facilitated a small group of middle school students during the \u201cPower of We\u201d workshops Oct. 4.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Office of Family and Community Engagement(FACE) family outreach representative Tina Garfield was one of the facilitators, along with Allayshia Pearson, a Tallwood High senior \u00a0in the Virginia Teachers for Tomorrow program.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need open conversation,\u201d Garfield said. \u201cI was truly encouraged by how ready our middle school students were to engage in open and honest dialogue about inclusivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every VBCPS middle and high school was represented.<\/p>\n

TIDE, an initiative of the Office of Opportunity and Achievement, is led by director Ty Harris.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudent belonging is very important,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Three years ago, high school coalitions began meeting about once a month to brainstorm how to change school culture. Harris called them, \u201cagents of change.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year middle schools joined the effort.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou will learn tools and strategies to use as we establish TIDE in your schools,\u201d Harris told them.<\/p>\n

Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. attended the event, as did School Board member Melinda Rogers.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour voice matters,\u201d Robertson said. \u201cWe want to hear from you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The event was presented in partnership with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities(VCIC).<\/p>\n

They encouraged students to take action when witnessing negative actions toward others and to actively support and advocate for those targeted by continued bullying, harassment or discrimination.<\/p>\n

Consider ways to help students feel included, they advised, such as congratulating someone for doing well on an assignment or cheering up someone who had a bad day.<\/p>\n

When asked the question, \u201cDo you think your school is inclusive?\u201d some students admitted they didn\u2019t think so. They were encouraged to share their thoughts with each other.<\/p>\n

They also talked about ways to help new students feel connected.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Masai Kofa-Wilson, representing VBCPS community partner the Urban League of Hampton Roads, volunteered at the \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop Oct. 4. Attendees received “You Matter” T-shirts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Serenity Fennell said she knows firsthand what that feels like. The Larkspur Middle School student said walking into a new school wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was hard meeting people and trying to make new friends,\u201d she said. Serenity suggested approaching new students and introducing yourself.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe give them compliments or ask about them about themselves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Those gestures boosted her confidence, she said with a smile.<\/p>\n

The seventh grader said she is ready to help others. \u201cI have what it takes to help change my school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her new friend, Aubrey McDaniel from Brandon Middle, said she hopes to implement several ideas to help her school be more inclusive.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always liked making people feel better,\u201d she said. \u201cI think we need a bulletin board to put information for kids to find out about clubs.\u201d<\/p>\n

School counselor Shante Swindell, who accompanied the Larkspur Middle group, said students should be proud to be part of their school\u2019s TIDE coalition.<\/p>\n

Swindell said they are learning ways to help those who feel they don\u2019t belong.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey can change the environment and make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
High school students from their schools\u2019 TIDE coalitions attended a variety of sessions during the Oct. 4 \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop. Office of Opportunity and Achievement Director Ty Harris led a discussion on the need for having crucial conversations and holding people accountable.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
After an open and honest dialogue about inclusivity during the \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop, facilitator Tina Garfield and her group of middle school students took time out for a little dancing.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Students attending the \u201cPower of We\u201d had the opportunity to visit with a variety of exhibitors, including Operation Smile, Lynnhaven River NOW, wellness company Calm Kids and Lions Clubs. Lions Vince Medina, left and Mack Stevens shared information.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cindy Butler Focke A paper snowball fight broke the ice for a small group of middle school students attending the third annual \u201cPower of We\u201d workshop Oct. 4 at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":14312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14311"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14326,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14311\/revisions\/14326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}