The HGSE Rural Educators Alliance is a student organization at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
MONDAY, APRIL 9
Beyond Invisibility: Gender and Sexual Diversity in Rural Schools
4:00 p.m.
Longfellow 229
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Featuring:
Shane Snowdon, Founder, Center for LGBT Health and Equity at the University of California San Francisco
Isaac Taylor, Principal, North Middlesex Regional High School
Corey Prachniak-Rincón, Director, Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth
Moderated by:
Gretchen Brion-Meisels, Lecturer, Prevention Science and Practice Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education
LGBTQ+ youth in rural schools often experience unique challenges that are distinct from those experienced by students in other areas of the country. While the response to questions of gender and sexual diversity differs within and across communities, LGBTQ+ youth who live in a rural context can feel isolated and it is often more difficult for them to access support. Join us to learn more about the realities of gender and sexual diversity in rural schools.
TUESDAY, APRIL 10
A Conversation on Rural Education Abroad
5:00 p.m.
Larsen 203
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Featuring:
Anushka Ghosh, Ed.M. Candidate, International Education Policy, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and former Program Manager, Simply Education Foundation Jammu and Kashmir (Uttarakhand, India)
Rob Watson, Ed.M. Candidate, Education Policy and Management, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and former Adviser in Special Education to the National Government of Paraguay
Em Dickey, Ed.M. Candidate, Education Policy and Management, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and former Fulbright Scholar (Sheshatshiu and Natuashish, Northern Canada)
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Moderated by:
Calvin Epps, Ed.M. Candidate, Education Policy and Management, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and former Middle School Language Arts Teacher (Kuwait)
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 11
A Discussion of the Chittagong Hills Tracts of Bangladesh and Indigenous Education
5:00 p.m.
Gutman 303
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Featuring:
Maung Nyeu, Doctoral Student, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Maung Nyeu will discuss the background of the Chittagong Hills Tracts of Bangladesh, the history of indigenous education and cultural erasure, and the work that he has done through his nonprofit organization, Our Golden Hour, to preserve the culture of the different indigenous groups of the Chittagong Hills Tracts.
THURSDAY, APRIL 12
Arts Programming in the Eeyou Istchee: A Conversation with Katie Green, Program Director of Mikw'Chiyâm
12:00 p.m.
Gutman G05
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Featuring: Katie Green, Program Director, Mikw'Chiyâm
Katie Green is the Program Director of Mikw'Chiyâm, a program that brings together artists, young people, teachers, and community members to work together creatively. Artists in residence visit schools and communities in the Eeyou Istchee and work collaboratively with participants. Artists in residence also create work(s) that align with the youth projects taking place, allowing a unique opportunity for modeling and mentorship. Katie will give a short presentation about her work developing and implementing Mikw’Chiyam. A workshop and discussion will follow with a focus on community engagement in small, rural communities and working on identity development with young people through the arts.
An Exploration of Identity and Place in Rural Communities
5:00 p.m.
Gutman G05
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Featuring:
Ashley Hanson, social practice and theater artist, community organizer, and advocate for arts in rural areas; Founder, Place-Based Productions, Curious Incidents, and Public Transformation
Katie Green, Program Director, Mikw'Chiyâm
Lyn Riley, Middle and High School English and Science Teacher on the Navajo Nation and in Aztec, New Mexico
This panel will provide participants with an opportunity to talk with Native and rural experts working at the intersection of education, arts, and community engagement across rural North America. While the work of these three radical rural practitioners ranges from the classroom to city council, all are undertaking powerful initiatives to catalyze positive identity formation and community connection in rural spaces.
FRIDAY, APRIL 13
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Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Students, Teachers, and Schools: A Conversation on Education Policy and Practice in Rural Communities
5:00 p.m.
Longfellow 229
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Featuring:
John White, Former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, U.S. Department of Education (2009-2013)
Morgan Christopher, Ed.M. Candidate, Learning and Teaching, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Ulises Serrano, Ed.M. Candidate, Higher Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Brady Roberts, M.P.P Candidate, Harvard Kennedy School, and former College Adviser, Donegal High School (Mount Joy, Pennsylvania)
Andrew Donnelly, Ph.D. Candidate, Harvard University, and Executive Director, Freedom Summer Collegiate (Mississippi Delta)
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Co-moderated by:
Christian Hartranft, Ed.M. Candidate, Education Policy and Management, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Sarah Baver, Ed.M. Candidate, Learning and Teaching, Harvard Graduate School of Education; former Director of Coaching, Arkansas Teacher Corps; and Teach For America Rural School Leadership Academy alumna
In national conversations about education policy in the United States, rural schools and the students they serve are often forgotten about--and so are the unique challenges they face. Many leaders and educators at all levels of policy and practice, however, are working hard to expand the public's awareness of the distinct circumstances of rural schools, students, and teachers and to help young people in these communities seize every opportunity they have earned. This discussion will feature representatives from government, schools, and non-profits in conversation about rural education and what policymakers and practitioners should be thinking about when it comes to ensuring that all students--regardless of zip code--have the opportunity to thrive.