2025 NNSP Annual Conference

In less than 10 years, the term “woke” has been resurrected as shorthand for antiracist and social justice consciousness, appropriated to disparage liberalism, deployed to polarize and obscure dialogue about the urgency and relevance of DEI work in our communities, and misused to object to just about anything perceived as progressive. Increasingly challenged for being too woke or not woke enough, organizations are playing heavy defense, too often on someone else’s terms. At stake aren’t just equity and inclusion initiatives, but the promise of mission and core values, and the mutual safety, dignity, belonging and thriving of our communities. In discussion with each other, participants will:_x000D_
• Deepen understandings of “wokeness” and “anti-wokeness;” _x000D_
• Recognize how the “woke” v. “anti-woke” tug-of-war sets us up and prevents progress; and_x000D_
• Practice using the language of mission and core values to engage resistance to DEI, and clarify and own what their community stands for.

The 3-part Degrees of Impact series is grounded in NNSP's signature summer programming that has successfully run for the past five summers. The series will guide educators in structuring or redesigning a comprehensive community engagement program. Each session builds on the last, offering a step-by-step approach to align mission and outcomes, repurpose existing programs, and integrate meaningful opportunities into the curriculum.

Part 3: Assessment, Reflection, and Curriculum Integration
Discover how to assess the effectiveness of engagement programs, reflect on their impact, and incorporate these opportunities into your curriculum. Educators will explore methods for embedding social impact lessons into various subject areas and creating a sustainable framework for civic learning. Gain actionable strategies to ensure these programs enrich students' academic and personal growth.

This session focuses on the transformative power of service-learning in fostering civic engagement and community involvement among students in diverse educational settings, including charter, private, and independent schools. We will explore how service-learning can be a bridge for students from varied backgrounds, promoting equity and understanding. Attendees will learn innovative strategies for integrating service-learning into their curricula, regardless of school type, and see how these approaches can lead to increased student retention and engagement. Participants will leave with actionable insights and adaptable models that can be implemented in their unique contexts, creating empowered students ready to make a difference in their communities.  

The 174-year-old Hill School is closely tied to Pottstown, Pa. – and, in 2014, a variety of factors led it to strengthen its connections to this “gritty” small city by creating Hobart’s Run, a comprehensive initiative to make Pottstown safer, cleaner, and more inclusive. Learn about this now 8-year-old, still-evolving neighborhood engagement project and how it has made a tangible, appreciated impact on our hometown while addressing School concerns such as Pottstown’s role in student and faculty recruitment and enhancing Hill’s community service culture.

Participants will discuss and learn more about the recent focus on "learning service" (versus service learning). In addition, I will share the details and outcomes of a recent large-scale event we organized here for 10th graders on the subject. This year we reimagined our annual 2-day service retreat for 10th graders into a 2-day focus on a specific social issue. 155 students were broken into 11 different groups focused on different social issues. Over their 2 days of their "microcourse" they engaged in both learning inside the classroom, service in the community, and conversations and meetings with local experts and nonprofit organizations. The outcome was multiple groups of a students who deepened their understanding of a complex social issue and made connections for future volunteer work.