Sir Ken Robinson wrote in his book Creative Schools, “Democratic societies depend on informed citizens being actively involved in how they are run and led. For that to happen, it’s essential that young people leave school knowing how society works and in particular how the legal, economic, and political systems operate and affect them.”

In line with that thinking, Roycemore is committed to teach students how to communicate, collaborate, and think critically — all skills that are vital to one’s ability to be an active and informed citizen. This past Wednesday, Mrs. Al-Najjar’s 2nd grade class put this mindset into action, taking the walk to Evanston City Hall and hand-delivering letters to the Director of the Parks Department, Audrey Thompson.

Integrated Unit: Activism

Mrs. Al-Najjar’s 2nd graders have been participating in an integrated unit with the theme of activism. In this unit, the students read the book Sofia Valdez Future Prez, a story where a 2nd grade girl advocated for a new park in her community. In this story, Sofia marches up to city hall and asks for change by talking to government officials. It was easy for the 2nd grade students to see the parallels between this story and their own current situation.

Over the summer, city officials closed playground equipment at six parks in Evanston after inspections due to safety concerns. Among the playgrounds affected was Alexander Park — the public park that many Roycemore students use for recess, events, and other activities. While still a functioning park, not having access to some of the playground equipment has taken away from part of the student experience the 2nd graders have enjoyed in years past. Reading the story of Sofia inspired these students to take matters into their own hands.

Students made the collective decision to write letters themselves, advocating for new playground equipment. They would then deliver the letters to the Director of the Parks Department. When asked about the intended outcome of this unit, Mrs. Al-Najjar responded, “For students to understand that even young people can use their voice to make a difference in their community. They can speak out about problems that they see and take actionable steps to make an impact.”

The excitement surrounding this project was palpable, with students eager to make suggestions and requests for the improvements they would like to see to their park. In partnership with the Innovation Center at Roycemore, students were also able to design and create their own buttons for them to wear on the day they marched to Evanston’s City Hall.

Visiting City Hall

When the day of the walk to City Hall arrived, students were beaming with energy and civic pride, donning their freshly made pins and wearing Roycemore t-shirts. Mrs. Al-Najjar’s class marched to Evanston City Hall and were welcomed by members of the Parks and Recreation Department, who then led them on an informational tour of the building and explained the functions of their respective roles. Students had the opportunity to ask Director of the Parks Department, Audrey Thompson, questions about government, parks, and how the city prioritizes which parks to make improvements to.

“We hope that by using our voices the parks board might take our comment into account to acquire new playground equipment, maybe on a faster timeline.” Mrs. Al-Najjar explained. Students were then invited to be a part of the public comment and to participate in voting for what the community would like to see in a new playground. It is the hope of Mrs. Al-Najjar that the Roycemore 2nd grade class will see that their voices can be heard and inspire the city to take action for Alexander Park.