PITTSBURGH — Bringing students together to talk about topics that may typically drive them apart; that’s what Friday’s student-led summit hosted by Woodland Hills High School was all about. The Student Summit, now in its third year, challenges high schoolers from across Western Pennsylvania to drop scripted lesson plans and get real about important social topics.
Social issues include racial injustices, mental health, lack of unity, LGBTIQ+ topics and gender discrimination. Students didn’t just talk, participants from seven school districts: Woodland Hills, Shaler, Aliquippa, Mt. Lebanon, Belle Vernon, Westmont Hilltop and Avonworth, shared at times difficult and personal conversations with one another.
“It’s really interesting to work with other schools,” said Sophia Mamakos, a senior at Woodland Hills High School.
Mamakos, a student leader, facilitated the program and helped lead dialogue amongst her peers.
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Mamakos’ topic was mental health focusing on self-care, toxic relationships and personal boundaries. “Don’t say you’re sorry so much ... instead say thank you ... by doing this you are changing your mindset, and you are also changing the other persons.”
Senior classmate Josiah Martin also participated in the summit and said it felt good to have a safe place to openly discuss the topics.
“(For) us to understand how to be able to overcome problems, to be able to deal with those issues is to first talk about it,” Martin, said.
Martin shared that the session on racial injustices resonated with him as a student of color, “When we hear these different perspectives, we can see different ways on how we relate to one another,” said Martin.
Sponsor and Woodland Hills English teacher Erin Wall said when the program began three years ago, that was the goal; to tackle issues outside of the classroom that impact learning inside.
“They (the students) were so happy to have the opportunity to talk to kids that they normally wouldn’t be able to interact with,” Wall added, “And in a culturally divided society, having stuff like this is important.”
Educators involved with the summit, including Wall, said they learned as much if not more than students through Friday’s program.
“I don’t think we give our students enough of a voice, and it is nice to have an opportunity to hear what they have to say and their feelings,” said Woodland Hills social studies teacher David Brown.
‘’We constantly debate what’s good for the students. We need to listen to what they have to say,” Brown added.
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