NCS Students Attend Diversity Leadership Conference

NCS students Antonia “Toni” Alakija ‘15, Diana Hla ‘16, Lhani Jamison ‘13, Fanta Kamara ’13, Skylar Lovett‎ ‘14; Paola Maseda ‘13, Maya Samuel ’15, and Cindy Wong ’14 attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in Houston, TX, Dec. 5-8, 2012.

The SDLC is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of high school student leaders from across the US. The conference focused on self-reflection, forming alliances, and building community. Led by a diverse team of adult and peer facilitators, students learned about cross-cultural communication skills, effective strategies for social justice, and networking strategies.

English Teacher Casey Baines, Counselor/Diversity Educator Wendy-Nia Griffin, and Account Specialist Allison McGill traveled with the group, and attended the 25th annual People of Color Conference (PoCC), held concurrently with the SDLC. PoCC is a networking and professional development opportunity for diverse members of the independent school community. Both conferences were organized by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS).

A sample of students’ reflections on their conference experience:

“Through SDLC I found that my voice is powerful and it can command a room when I use it. That is by far the best thing that SDLC gave me, self-confidence and leadership ability.” - Maya Samuel ’15

“Attending the 2012 Student Diversity Leadership Conference was truly an eye-opening experience. The conference presented a safe atmosphere for teenagers who share the common bond of attending independent schools to learn about the beauty in all sides of their own identities. SDLC introduces a new definition of diversity to its students, by interpreting it as a unifying factor because diversity is equally present in everyone. Most importantly, the most unforgettable lesson I learned at SDLC was that being a leader is more than being in control of others. Being a true leader can only be achieved by understanding oneself enough to help others understand themselves. The time I spent at SDLC has become a highlight of my NCS years and its memories and values will be taken beyond these four years. – Antonia “Toni” Alakija ’15.