Greater Johnstown students: Summits show opportunities to create 'change'
Mar. 13—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Greater Johnstown High School students who took part Friday in a pair of Pittsburgh-area student summits took the same message away — that they can have an impact on important issues.
"Us speaking now about change eventually creates a change," junior Maddie Wilfong said.
Wilfong was part of a Greater Johnstown group that went to Woodland Hills School District in suburban Pittsburgh to talk at the Woodland Hills Student Summit about racial and social issues and gun violence in schools.
Sophomore Kass Hardison said it was interesting to hear different perspectives on school issues from students from a variety of schools.
Zayona Thomas, another sophomore who attended, said she appreciated so many people gathering for one cause.
"I feel like not enough people tend to do that and express themselves," she said.
Science teacher Gena Myers accompanied 19 students to the event.
Meanwhile, sophomore Natiya Henderson, seniors Kyleigh Duranko and Laurell McClurkin and the rest of the Greater Johnstown group that attended the Empower Her Summit at Carlow University on International Women's Day heard from several women leaders about their lives, journeys and businesses.
"It was really powerful for the girls to go," said history teacher Katelynn Cameron, one of the chaperones for the 39 students who attended.
"It was a great learning experience," said Henderson, who appreciated that the event catered to women and said it gave her confidence and knowledge to grow.
Although women are recognized more in today's society, she feels many still aren't noticed, and she said it was nice to have a day when people listened to them and shared stories they could relate to.
Duranko and McClurkin said their biggest takeaway was reassurance that no matter what they plan, everything will end up the right way.
McClurkin said she plans to study business after high school, and the speakers showed her different opportunities she could explore.
"It just all gave us what we needed," Duranko said.
Cameron said it was motivational for the students to see the pathways they can take.
Empower Her is presented by Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania and offers an interactive leadership and life development workshop for high school girls that mimics real-world situations.
The students at the Woodland Hills event were also inspired by the day's events. Hardison said she and others created the Agents of Change club at the high school because of it.
The goal of that group is to help promote positivity in Greater Johnstown School District through motivational posters, helpful letters, and similar endeavors.
"It's mainly just about unity," Hardison said.
The Woodland Hills district created the event five years ago after a "rash of community violence ... left students desperately in need to make their voices heard."
Students participated in discussions with peers from Woodland Hills' neighboring schools.
Myers said that positive results of the event ranged from interaction among students of similar demographics to collaboration on important issues that typically are hard to discuss.
She said that it's important for students to work together because they're the ones who will lead the way and "fix things."
