Marco Cenabre

“My project is to create and enhance robust opportunities for intentional human connection through extracurricular activities, during and after school hours, all throughout the year. The need for low-stakes and authentic human connection at school is crucial; a sentiment true far before the upside-down of pandemic education. The transition back from remote and hybrid learning has now more than ever revealed authentic human connection as an absolute necessity. For my project, students will be identifying activities they want to see both during and after school, and, with help of guidance from student leaders and staff, the grant will enable students to have their vision actualized. Students and staff will have access to engage in non-academic programming pertaining to sports, nature, cultural awareness, and other new activities. These opportunities will not only give much needed relief in response to the heavy academic demand exacerbated by the designed attempts to account for the "learning loss" of the last two years. Through engaging in these activities together, our school community will grow closer, with the shared interest/experience being the platform for students to gather and grow deep bonds together. As a result, our school community will grow closer, breaking down barriers between each other, henceforth drastically improving school culture. We hope to sustain this synergy and even have it translate through academic improvement on top of the SEL benefits.”