On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, youth-adult partnership teams from 21 Vermont high schools and organizations descended upon the Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee to share their power at the Power 2 Summit. Power 2 is short for Power-Squared, acknowledging the synergistic force for change that happens when youth partner with adults to bring about innovations they want to see in education. Fourteen sharing sessions, ranging from the City & Lake Semester in Burlington to the Getting to “Y” team from Springfield, were presented by the teams undertaking a change initiative. The kick-off and youth voice finale were led by the Summit facilitation team from Lamoille Union High School, partnering with Chris Castro, a junior at the Leominster Center for Excellence in Leominster, MA. Chris and his family moved to Leominster from the Bronx in 2009, when he was 8. Hunger and housing instability are challenges that surfaced in Chris’ life, but by no means have they defined him. Using song and his own words, Chris shared his story of his life and the educational path he finds himself on. Along the way, he developed a passion for connecting to understand people’s experiences in the hopes of enriching himself and those around him.
Reposted with permission from UP for Learning. VTLFF is a planning partner for Power2.