The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world as we knew it, and the challenges it created impacted both young and old.
Our students – unable to physically go to school and be with their peers for a period of time – were particularly affected, and many are still dealing with the repercussions. 
This hardship – and the importance of being able to overcome life’s hurdles – was the catalyst behind the first-ever “Overcoming Obstacles: A Message of Connection, Resilience and Hope.”
More than 2,500 ninth grade students from 24 school districts in the Oneida-Herkimer-Madison (OHM) BOCES, Madison-Oneida BOCES and Herkimer-Fulton-Hamilton-Otsego BOCES regions participated in the special educational program on October 11. The roughly four-hour event, sponsored and presented by the Utica National Insurance Group, Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN), OHM BOCES and Westmoreland Central School District, took place at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) in Utica. In lieu of the Utica City School District’s ninth grade students attending the program at SUNY Poly, they listened to keynote speakers, Erin Gruwell and Liz Murray, at Proctor High School.
“Helping students overcome the challenges that they face in their lives and letting them know that others are here to support them as they grow and learn are vital as they move through their high school years,” Richard P. Creedon, Chairman of the Board and CEO of the Member Companies of the Utica National Insurance Group, said.
“There are so many stressors in today’s world, and while we can’t always shield children from challenges, we can teach them the skills needed to bounce back,” Patricia N. Kilburn, Ed.D., District Superintendent of the OHM BOCES, added. “As educators, we play an essential role in helping our students to develop the determination and ability to persevere through difficult circumstances in both school and life. Cultivating connection, resilience and hope will help our students to view obstacles as a critical part of success, manage any adversity they face and feel hopeful about the future.”
The main purpose of the program was to encourage ninth grade students to “find that adult in your life,” as they transition from junior high to senior high and continue to navigate the many changes, challenges and hardships created by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the morning portion of the program, students participated in about 30 different breakout sessions, with each featuring a unique activity led by a trained facilitator centered on the themes of connection, resilience and hope. At the conclusion of the breakout sessions, students “debriefed” with their facilitators to discuss the important lessons and concepts they learned.
Westmoreland ninth grade student, Carlie Lashure, was one of the more than 2,000 ninth grade students who attended the program at SUNY Poly. She had a hopeful outlook on the event.
“I’m hoping to find what I’m actually feeling and what other people actually feel,” Lashure said. “Then you get to know people better because you find similarities in people.”
Westmoreland Upper Elementary School Principal Trevor Haskell led a breakout session. He stressed the importance of self-reflection.
“Every kid is different, has their own background and has their own story,” Haskell explained. “This is an opportunity for them to realize what their story is. In order to continue to move on in life, you need to accept your story.”
During the afternoon portion of the program, all students gathered in the Wildcat Field House for a presentation by keynote speakers, Erin Gruwell and Liz Murray. It marked the first time both spoke to the same audience together.
Erin Gruwell is the author of the New York Times bestselling book, “The Freedom Writers Diary.” The book, and basis for the movie “Freedom Writers,” starring Hilary Swank, tells the story of Gruwell and her 150 at-risk students at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, CA during the early 1990s. Determined to create a brighter future for her students, Gruwell turned to writing and literature to persuade them to embrace history, humanity and hope. She specifically used literature to compare the turmoil of the time to some of the worst examples of society’s inhumanity towards one another. The parallels to their own lives emboldened Gruwell’s students to write their own journals, becoming a form of solace. When the students anonymously read each other’s journals, division was replaced with unity and understanding. As a result, the “Freedom Writers” were born.
Liz Murray is the author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, “Breaking Night,” and co-founder of “The Arthur Project.” The organization advocates for underserved youth – particularly youth in middle school – and works to end generational poverty through relationship-based learning. Once a school dropout and homeless, Murray returned to school, earned her high school diploma in just two years and won a scholarship to Harvard University, where she graduated from in 2009. She went on to receive her master’s degree in Psychology of Education at Columbia University, and her personal journey is the subject of Lifetime Television’s Emmy-nominated original film, “Homeless to Harvard.” As a passionate advocate for underserved youth, Murray believes having a strong relationship with at least one caring, dedicated adult can make all the difference for a child facing adversity.
“I’m honored to be a small part of this event,” Gruwell said. “I just love that 24 schools have come together like this – I don’t think that has ever happened in this area before.”
As part of the “Overcoming Obstacles: A Message of Connection, Resilience and Hope” program, all students received a free drawstring bag and journal. Students were encouraged to use their journals throughout the school year to document their thoughts and feelings – just like Erin Gruwell’s students once did.
“As we emerge from the pandemic, we have seen the toll that isolation, remote learning and disconnect from social networks have had on students in terms of their mental health,” Jeremy Butler, Chief Administrative Officer at ICAN, said. “We see anxiety, depression, self-harm, suicide and suicide laudation all on the rise. The best thing we can do is increase our protective factors – and one of the most effective protective factors is social connections. So, to be able to bring students together in a fun and experimental way is super powerful.”
A powerful experience that will be offered to more students in the future.
“This is something we hope we can do year after year,” John Acee, Educational Institution Segment Specialist at the Utica National Insurance Group, said. “This is our first try at it – we will be building upon it next year.”