On February 12, River Dell High School participated in the Bergen County Equity Think Tank program. Sponsored by Ramapo College, the BCETT focused on helping students “Lead the Change” regarding equity in their schools. This program brought high school students across North Jersey schools together to discuss issues of equity and inclusivity. Each team was tasked with identifying a concern in their school community and creating a plan that improved that issue and, overall, improved school culture and equity.
Representing RDHS, the team consisted of Caitlyn Meehan, Rida Desai, Odalissa Encarnacion, and Gavin Wittreich. Their plan, ‘The Club Hub,’ focused on increasing equity and equality in River Dell clubs by making them better known and easier to be a part of. “With this plan, we hoped to make the club joining and participation process easier for students so we could get more students involved with after-school activities,” said Meehan.
During the event, students got to know each other and answered discussion questions about their plans and ideas. They had to try to include as much information as possible and give a clear opinion on a topic, which could sound difficult. However, Meehan revealed that it was not at all stressful. She stated that everyone at BCETT valued respecting others and their opinions, making them great people to discuss and collaborate with.
“I appreciated any opportunity that students had for voicing their concerns and taking an active role in addressing them,” stated Mrs. Kirkby, the Director of Student Personnel Services. “Our role as schools was ensuring that we met the needs of our students, and inclusivity, equity, and school culture were the foundation of all of the work that we did.”
