Power Thrive Ed Student Interns

They facilitate, design, critically review and give feedback. They share their stories. They research. The inspire change and foster hope. 

Your contributions will help us launch our 2021 Summer Intern program where students will create a podcast and continue their work facilitating important conversations for educators and their communities.

Partnering with students gets results – student achievement and confidence increases with this co-construction. Partnering with students, while not eliminating the barriers to deep transformative change, places them at the center of change efforts. When educators and the community see the faces of students – not just numbers and statistics, there is a personal element that increases a sense of urgency and creates a more focused type of listening and action. This willingness to think differently occurs when those we are serving are now at the decision-making table. No longer can our language be “those students or families.” We have to collaborate with students and ensure they are active and valued members of the conversation. We must embrace students as transformative partners and decision-makers in this work.

Our early efforts in our internship produced incredibly hopeful results. Students reported gaining significant confidence, deeper and more focused relationships with their teachers or engagement guides, and getting feedback that was targeted and useful – feedback they applied. In fact, student interns are excited to be part of the leadership of Thrive Ed as a result of this experience. They feel empowered to go back and influence their own school systems. Our students want to be part of the next iteration of our student internship projects and the development of our collaborative lab school. This transformative co-design where students are partners in reinventing schools is critical to continue as our early efforts indicate promising increases in critical competencies (collaboration, critical thinking, communication, digital literacy, self-regulation, social competence, and creativity) and a culture of learning where students develop confidence as problem-solvers and contributors. 

We welcome your partnership with us as we continue our work in powering student voice to innovate and transform school experiences. 

• We commit to authorizing the and powering the voice of students.

• We commit to fully engaging in issues of equity to create places where all folks feel connected and heard.

• We commit to creating a space where educators of color thrive.

• We commit to setting ambitious goals that are rooted in the belief that ALL students can succeed.

• We commit to intentionally creating the conditions where hope and optimism can thrive.