Heritage Panel fosters more inclusive school culture

Twenty-five Homewood Middle School students will be named to this year’s Heritage Panel. The organization empowers a group of student leaders to make their school a more inclusive and welcoming place by creating a climate that discourages bullying and harassing behavior. 

This year-long program begins by training a diverse group of students and faculty advisors in an intensive two-day workshop. During the training, participants are asked to look within themselves and their school community and to make personal commitments to improve relations at school. 

Students prepare to sit on a panel and discuss issues that are relevant to their school experience and often include cliques, race, gender, cultural backgrounds and exclusion. The panelists present to various classrooms, and the audience is invited to participate in a discussion of issues relating to the presentation. 

The Heritage Panel is a program of the National Conference for Community and Justice.