Now that we are weeks into a global pandemic, the entire planet has been thrust into unprecedented waters and is frantically trying to adjust to current circumstances. While we are also in the process of figuring out a new path forward, it has become so clear how polycentricity is thriving as our system transforms to accommodate new ways of living, learning, teaching and working. While many are anxious for “things to go back to normal” (as quickly as possible), I am left wondering how we might instead pause and use this moment to interrogate the “normalcy” we left behind with a more critical eye, investigate the ways in which change is already transforming our systems, and find ways to harness this change for good in launching us into deeper transformation for the future.

Youth voices matter. Far too often, transformative education efforts, albeit with the best intentions in mind, happen in service of students, but fail to truly center youth voice within the work. What would happen if we not only included youth and students as central end users in our work, but intentionally amplified their voices to transform their own education system? 

That’s precisely what happened in Denver over the past few months. Our partners at Turn Corps (in collaboration with RootEd and the Denver Scholarship Foundation), spearheaded a community-based outreach effort that intentionally amplified recent alumni and student voices in efforts to transform schools.