Our seniors have been hard at work developing their Seal of Civic Readiness capstone projects, and on March 12, they had the opportunity to participate in an interactive power mapping workshop as the next step in the process.
During this session, students crafted a visual map to identify who holds influence and power in their community. By pinpointing stakeholders, students were able to better understand the relationships that drive meaningful change around a civic issue.
It was thrilling to watch students identify which individuals and groups have influence over decision-makers. Once identifying these stakeholders, students then developed a plan for cultivating allies with the goal of shifting power for the greater good.
Our Falcons are thoughtfully examining issues that they feel called to address through their civic mission, such as climate change, gun violence, artificial intelligence, reproductive rights, mental health and affordable housing.
A huge shoutout to our Albany High social studies teachers Peter Anderson, Jessie LaPolla, James Morrill, Barbara Riordan, Graham Wall, David Weiss and Amanda Weklar for their dedicated support during this yearlong project.
We also extend our gratitude to community leaders from People’s Perception Project (P3), the Albany Chapter of the NAACP and the Party for Socialism & Liberation for serving as additional guides during the power mapping project, fielding questions and providing feedback as students completed their work both collaboratively and individually throughout the session.