The Waldorf School of Garden City, an independent, coeducational, college-preparatory day school for students age three through twelfth grade, will host ERASE Racism’s upcoming Student Leadership Forum on Monday, January 21st. Open and free to high school students from across Long Island, the full-day workshop will provide learning experiences and activities that build teamwork and enhance student leadership skills. Students will deepen their understanding of equality and explore positive responses to address social issues.

“Our aim is to teach high school students about the history of race and racism in the United States,” said Ms. Olivia Ildefonso, communications and housing coordinator at ERASE Racism. “Students also learn how race and racism continue to have an impact on Long Island and how to work in their own community to bring about more social equality.”

The full-day workshop will include small discussion groups, a film viewing, games and discussions about privilege and advantage versus prejudice and disadvantage. There will also be a keynote address by motivational speaker Sergio Argueta. Mr. Argueta is the former Executive Director of STRONG Youth, Inc. and is now the Director of the School of Social Work at Adelphi University. He will discuss student activism for justice. “We currently expect close to 50 students from 8 to 10 Long Island school districts to attend,” said Ms. Ildefonso.

With a diverse student-body and parent community from numerous socio-, economic-, and racial- backgrounds, the Waldorf School of Garden City has engaged its community on various topics relating to race and diversity in recent years.

“A few years ago, the School invited Linda Williams, a former Waldorf teacher and current professor at Eastern Michigan University, to talk to our faculty about race and privilege,” said Keelah Helwig, a kindergarten teacher and chair of the School’s diversity committee. Students, parents and community members have also taken part in the “Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service” by volunteering in their local community. “Last year, the community made sandwiches and prepared gift bags for clients of the Mary Brennan Inn Soup Kitchen,” said Mrs. Helwig. “This year, we are delighted to host ERASE Racism’s Student Leadership Forum on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It is a great way to honor Dr. King’s legacy!”

High School students from the Waldorf School of Garden City who wish to sign-up for the Student Leadership Forum should contact Kathy Bossuk by phone at (516) 742-3434 Ext. 328 or by email at bossukk@waldorfgarden.org for more information.

Principals, superintendents, high school students and individuals from other schools should visit www.eraseracismny.org and/or contact Olivia Ildefonso at ERASE Racism by phone at (516) 921-4863, or by email at olivia@eraseracismny.org.