What is the impact on children when schools and families work together to help each child find success in a way that is meaningful to them?
Obviously, it is impossible to quantify the impact, but it is easy to understand that when we work together, progress happens much more quickly than if people work as adversaries.
When adults align around a child, progress accelerates. Not because everyone agrees, but because they agree on why they are there. The moment the focus shifts from “being right” to “doing right,” energy moves away from conflict and toward possibility.
The following was my emphasis as a school administrator working with the community, and I did my best to communicate it with our school communities:
This is the entire focus of “Forward, Together: Moving Schools from Conflict to Community in Contentious Times.” It isn’t to tell you where your school community should go; it is to focus on how much better a journey it can become when people build that vision together and work in tandem to bring it to fruition.
This community includes the students. Do they see their own fingerprints in what schools could be? Because when they do, the impact of the school experience lasts beyond their time in formal education and shapes how they work with others in the future.
And the book was not written because this is happening nowhere. In fact, quite the opposite.
The book was inspired by a single social media post from a teacher sharing their pride in how students brought the entire community together to build a vision for the upcoming school year, and it reminded me that the best way to solve a problem is to see that so many have already created the solutions.
And here is some more evidence.
You may have seen this incredible moment in a New Jersey school where the entire school cheers on a single student to do the “Whitney Houston challenge” in the school gymnasium. If you have seen it, I am sure you will enjoy watching it again. If you haven’t, get ready to be inspired.
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The way the kids cheer on “Steven” is something that not only the student will remember, but also the entire community. How powerful is it when schools come together to make this impact on one another?
And although you might have already seen the video, what you might have missed is a comment. As someone who prides himself on reading the entire Internet every night before I go to bed, I saw this post, and it immediately brought me to tears:
That comment is a powerful reminder that when schools and communities truly come together, the impact shows in how children are uplifted today, to ensure their success tomorrow.
Again, I cannot quantify the effect of schools coming together with and for students, but I know it is much better when they do. That video will not only impact that school community but also many others who see it and witness the incredible impact schools already have on the world when they work together. It shapes what people believe (and know) is possible. And the goal of “Forward, Together” is shared in that video:
“May every child and adult have that same blessing of a community working together to bring people together to create something amazing.”
Thank you to all of the communities that embody this work! Your inspiration is truly exponential.
I believe moments like this are not rare, and we need to be more intentional about noticing and sharing them. “Forward, Together” is meant to be that invitation to create these moments with purpose. If you want to learn more, I hope you will consider exploring the book for yourself or your community.
