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COVID-19 toppled every best-laid plan that schools had for the final months of the 2019-2020 academic year. Beginning in March, as educators scrambled to figure out their best instructional options, they often struggled to get a sense of whether their students even had some of their basic needs covered, like internet access or a space to work, in order to pursue remote learning. When in late May, as the pandemic continued unabated, the largest movement in U.S. history erupted with a national call for racial justice. Students and their educators stood up and took notice. This summit will explore how teachers and school and district leaders can encourage the development of agency, self-empowerment, and well-being among their students during the convergence of these two historic events.

Many stories are coming to light of educators working with young people, taking advantage of this inflection point to help define, build, and develop with students what it means to reflect on their own well-being, as well as serve the larger, collective good. There are also accounts of young people leading the charge in some instances, demonstrating motivation, leadership, commitment to community, and civic awareness in ways that no one could have anticipated. What does that look like? And who are the educators—and the students—who are leading this charge? What lessons can educators, researchers, and policymakers glean from these examples in order to apply them to learning going forward? And what might these promising approaches of elevating character have to say about the future direction of our schools, social institutions, and workforce?

This online summit will explore practical and promising approaches for incorporating elements of character education into educational experiences and why it matters.