Students attend community Diversity Dialogue Day
Several upper school students participated in the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Diversity Dialogue Day at Old Dominion University. The one-day event brings together students from public and private schools. With the help of trained facilitators, the program works to increase the students’ understanding of what prejudice is, decrease stereotypic attitudes and develop an expanded awareness of discrimination and its harmful effects on individuals and groups. It also works to expose students to diverse perspectives and create connections between peers.
Students learned about the LISTEN Model which emphasizes:
LOOK: Look at the person speaking and make good eye contact
INQUIRE: Ask open-ended questions
SUMMARIZE: Reflect your understanding of what the person is saying
TAKE NOTES: Write down or make mental notes about what the other person is saying
ENCOURAGE: Use positive nonverbal and verbal cues to encourage the person to say more
NEUTRALIZE: Try to stay positive and avoid bias
The goal was to have students leave feeling an increased sense of personal empowerment and recognize the positive impact they can have on their own school and communities.
