CHANGEMAKERS
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
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Tarrytown, Ossining, and Peekskill
New York School Districts
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Each year, the Changemakers Program provides a cohort of young Latina women from Ossining, Tarrytown, and Peekskill School Districts with a bi-lingual, all-woman led leadership development and civic engagement program. This year-long program includes
- Two spring seminars to introduce the basics of civic engagement and to set expectations for students and their families
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- An awe-inspiring weeklong summer travel adventure into a true wilderness setting that will encourage self discovery, expand belief systems, create deep bonds and establish the health benefits of relfective time in nature.
- A fall Women's Leadership Summit led by local educators at Manhattanville University, with two virtual follow up sessions for students to establish their "why."
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- A six session curriculum where Changemakers create a Statement of Intent about the positive social change they want to create.
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- A public exhibition of the Statements of Intent attended by peers, families and local educators and administrators
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- This all culminates at the Young Women's Leadership Summit hosted by Manhattanville University, in partnership with the RFK Center for Human Rights.
Changemakers aims to develop leadership skills and increase civic engagement by providing high-potential Latina leaders with the confidence, tools, and inspiration to be exemplars that help empower others to become more engaged in their community, and to create a better world for all of us.
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The participants are selected based on a recognition of their positive character traits and their innate leadership potential. The intention is to design an immersive travel experience in nature over the summer that would also be aligned with an ongoing academic school program throughout the year. Both elements are centered on developing the student’s voice, their self-efficacy, and their sense of belonging in the school community and in nature, with the hope that they will inspire others toward increased civiv engagement.
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To learn more about the impact, click below to see the results of an ongoing IRB approved, independent research project being conducted by doctoral researchers at Manhattanville University's Graduate School of Education.
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CHANGEMAKERS REPORT - MANHATTANVILLE UNIVERSITY
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In addition to the yearlong program, in the summer we embark on a weeklong adventure into nature, including a four-day river trip through the Gates of Lodore Canyon on Utah's Green River -- one of our country’s most awe-inspiring wilderness areas. This journey delivers rare moments of peace and quiet to exhale, to reflect on our lives through journal writing and intentional conversations, and to discover new ways to become authors of our own life story through the creative arts of film and photography.
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"It was awe-inspiring to witness the girls embrace nature's challenges and learn to adapt with grace. Their creativity flourished amidst the breathtaking landscapes, and I'm excited to see how their experiences manifest in their artistic projects."
- Ms Lin, Ossining Teachers / Open Roads trip mentor
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All of this sets the stage for the fall's school-sponsored coursework which includes projects designed to guide participants through the process of actualizing their intended goals toward social change. This blend of school-centered coursework and large-scale experiential learning aims to inspire a dramatic shift in the participants’ sense of voice and agency as Changemakers The program culminates with a public presentation of the student work from the summer, and with each participant having an opportunity to vocalize their Statement of Intent for the change they want to bring to their community.
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"The Open Roads program not only allowed the girls to bond as a team but also empowered them to overcome obstacles with confidence. The lessons they learned about teamwork, leadership, and cultural appreciation are invaluable."
- Ms. Barajas, Ossining Teachers / Open Roads trip mentor
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READ MORE ABOUT THE TRIP HERE:
"OSSINING HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS EMBRACE ADVENTURE"
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AND CHECK OUR THE 2023 RECAP HERE!​