Poly held its second annual Solidarity Week in early November. “Solidarity Week is a way for students to learn about difference, respect, and safety for every member of our school community, while celebrating allyship and encouraging solidarity with LGBTQ+ youth here at Poly and beyond,” Jared Winston, director of student life for Middle and Upper School, wrote in an email to the student body last month.
The week consisted of first a Solidarity Day, where the Upper School students welcomed the Lower School students to the Dyker Heights campus to engage in fun activities. Upper and Lower School students worked together in groups with pictures and words of what solidarity meant to them. The day concluded with everyone going out to the baseball field to hold their grade-assigned colored flags up and take a picture as one community. The purpose of this day was to make sure that students better understood the true importance of accepting everyone. Now, how did this all come together?
To bring Solidarity Week to life, much planning and coordination was essential. The groundwork for this collaborative effort was laid out during the Lower School students’ week-long study on solidarity. Their studies focused on developing essential qualities such as becoming upstanders, practicing kindness, and exploring the role of being an ally towards all community members. Dr. Francis Yasharian, the head of the lower school and a key organizer of Solidarity Week, provided valuable insights into the importance of the Lower School’s studies. He emphasized how engaging with Upper and Middle School students during Solidarity Week “helps bring the concept of solidarity to life for our youngest students and fosters learning that lasts.”
Yasharian also mentioned the challenge of maintaining a cohesive community across the two distinct Poly campuses. “Although we are one school, we are two different campuses,” Yasharian said, stressing the importance of collaborative events like Solidarity Week. He also spoke about the event’s impact on community building, stating that “Community won’t just happen on its own. We need to actively cultivate it, and this is one way to do so.”
Winston, a key planner of Solidarity Week, views the initiative as a step toward positive change, stating, “Poly is the external force that drives us closer to reaching our aims and aspirations.” Winston said he believes that welcoming the Lower School community is more than a logistical task; it becomes a transformative experience, “softening our older students,” as he stated, and fostering genuine joy and connections.
Reflecting on Solidarity Week’s success, Winston acknowledged the challenges of staging large events. He stated, “When we aim big, there is always the opportunity that we miss big.” However, success is found in a deeper understanding of Poly’s mission, encouraging continuous improvement. “We want to make Solidarity Week as meaningful as possible,” he emphasized.