Features
Changemakers
Fifth Grade Students Find Their Voice
Scattered throughout Randi Gordner’s Fifth Grade classroom with pencil and paper readily in hand, students’ attention is focused toward the front of the room on guest speaker Roberta “Bert” Romero. Bert is a news journalist and the executive producer of King 5’s Facing Race—a program created in 2020 that focuses on and highlights the stories of people of color around the Puget Sound. Bush Fifth Grade students are eager to hear what Bert has to say next.
“It’s important so that we can have good conversations in class and learn about what’s happening in the world,” Margot S. ’30 said of the significance of Bert’s visit.
On Wednesday, April 4, Bert spent the afternoon with the Fifth Grade students talking about her role as a journalist and why King 5 created Facing Race. Bert’s visit stemmed from the actions of the students. In a social studies unit taught by Randi, students were learning about Indigenous cultures in different parts of the United States and connecting the past with the present. Students broke into different groups and researched ways they could take action to learn more about indigenous organizations and businesses in the area. They wanted to connect with people who were amplifying marginalized voices. Randi said students Margot S., Nuno R., and Kieran T. emailed King 5 and made the connection with Bert to establish a class visit to learn more about the role journalism and news play in telling everyone’s story.
“We work hard for students to see themselves as leaders and changemakers,” Randi said.
During her campus visit, Bert spoke to the students about the purpose of the show in the wake of George Floyd’s death and the Black Lives Matter movement, as well as how King 5 set out to do better to raise awareness and tell the stories of the local Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) community. Bert also brought along a photojournalist who spoke to the Fifth Grade about the technical side of the job and what goes into producing Facing Race.
“They are super thoughtful about the types of stories that they do, specifically highlighting people and communities of color,” Margot said of the biggest takeaway.
This action project is just a highlight of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work being done not only in the Fifth Grade, but also in the entire Lower School. The curriculum and resources from Learning for Justice, formerly Teaching for Tolerance, are an important foundation for elevating DEI curriculum threads in the Lower School program. Learning for Justice is an educational organization that incorporates components of the mission of Southern Poverty Law Center to be a catalyst for racial justice. Working in partnership with school communities, LFJ advances the human rights of all people.
Bush Lower School teachers access a robust catalog of educational resources—articles, guides, lessons, films, webinars, frameworks, and more— to foster shared learning and reflection in our classrooms.
“Facing Race is a program that is working to highlight identities that may not be highlighted in the news in a positive and meaningful way,” Randi said. “Facing Race is a program where many of our students could see themselves in the programming and know that there is change being made in terms of what is being portrayed in the news. And I think taking action to learn more is meaningful. At ten and eleven years old, these students recognize that the reason someone came in to speak with them was the result of the action they took to reach out to learn more. This program in itself is a social justice program, and the students’ work was rooted in action and justice.”
During Bert’s visit, students took notes, asked questions, and soaked in all the new information they could so as to write their own article on the visit.
“I love being in the position where I can be a guide rather than the giver of knowledge,” Randi said of watching the students do the work and impact the learning in the classroom.
As these Fifth Grade students embark on a new journey into Middle School, there is a sense of empowerment and confidence to use their voices. “When we get older, instead of just talking about it, we can make change in the world,” Margot said.
The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 715 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities.
3400 East Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98112 (206) 322-7978
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status.