Cooper High students tell Robbinsdale school board how student voice shapes events and supports
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Summary
Students and staff from Cooper High School presented programs that incorporate student voice — including a Black History Month expo, a student summit and Hawk Connections — and described how those efforts build engagement, careers pathways and community connections.
Students and staff from Cooper High School told the Robbinsdale Area School Board on April 22 that efforts to center student voice are boosting engagement, building skills and connecting students with community and career opportunities.
Principal Shani Smith Cooper introduced the presentation, which featured student council member Emily Blanchett and junior Chad Hill as well as staff who described a new outreach program for students having attendance or connection challenges.
The presentation highlighted several programs that rely on student input. Emily Blanchett, a student-council member, described the Black History Month Expo as “one of our biggest events every year,” saying it invites community organizations to host booths where students have found jobs and internships and can perform dance, song or spoken word. “Students have gotten jobs and internships through the Black History Month Expo,” Blanchett said.
Chad Hill described the annual student summit, which brings classes together to give feedback to school leaders. “We collect all the data of what people say ... and we bring it back to a committee, and we look over and see what we can do and what Principal Smith can do, to make Cooper better,” Hill said. Hill also promoted an April 29 multicultural festival with a daytime community showcase and an evening talent show.
School staff described Hawk Connections, launched this year to support students who struggle to get to class. Dr. Josh Mahan said the program uses non-punitive restorative circles and one-to-one conversations to identify barriers and build relationships that increase attendance and engagement. “Attendance is a big issue in large public schools across the nation, and we’ve been trying to find ways to connect with our kids,” Mahan said.
Alumna Amanda Leeser, who now teaches and coordinates AVID at Cooper, spoke about returning to the district as an educator and how staff support students through difficult family circumstances. The school board did not take action on the presentation; it was listed as an informational item.
Board members thanked the students and staff for the presentation and encouraged continued engagement with the community.
The district’s publicly stated mission — “to inspire and educate all learners to develop their unique potential and positively contribute to their community” — was cited by Principal Smith as a guide to the programs described.