Program History
Summer 2024 Institutes and Retreats
Student Research Institute
10th-12th Grade
Appleton High School Youth
This was a 12-day, paid opportunity for BIPOC and multilingual youth across all AASD high schools to make impactful change in our community. Participants learned about and completed their own Participatory Action Research focused on Youth Mental Health in Schools. Hosted by FVTC and sponsored by the Community Foundation and CARES donors, this one-of-a-kind institute introduced youth to leaders across all sectors of our community, and grew their confidence, connections, and abilities to lead in their own vision.
2023-2024 1 YPAR Study
YPAR Study
10th-12th Grade
Appleton High School Youth
This was a 9 month-long paid opportunity for youth and educators across all AASD schools to make impactful change in our community. Participants learned about the experiences of students who were enrolled in both English Learner and Special Education programming and completed their own Participatory Action Research project. Through their work, they learned that extra curricular activities and sports have a positive impact on the motivation and confidence of these learners. Hosted by CARES Fox Cities and, this one-of-a-kind collaboration connects our students, their families, and our educators through change making.
Summer 2023 Institutes and Retreats
Student Research Institute
10th-12th Grade
Appleton High School Youth
This was a 12-day, for-credit and paid opportunity for BIPOC and multilingual youth across all AASD high schools to make impactful change in our community. Participants learned about and completed their own Participatory Action Research focused on a social-justice topic that mattered to them. Hosted by FVTC and sponsored by the Community Foundation and CARES donors, this one-of-a-kind institute introduced youth to leaders across all sectors of our community, and grew their confidence, connections, and abilities to lead in their own vision.
Justice Retreat Series
10th-12th Grade
Oshkosh High School Youth
This was a 4-part, paid opportunity for BIPOC and multilingual youth across OASD high schools to learn about justice-centered work and to complete a mini action research cycle on a topic that mattered to them. Hosted and sponsored by the Oshkosh Area School District and CARES Fox Cities, this retreat series built participants' sense of belonging and agency.
Educator Institue
Caregivers, Staff, and Community Members
Appleton and Oshkosh Area School Districts
This was a 3-day, paid opportunity for adults in both AASD and OASD communities to strengthen their understanding of the impact of biases and power, and was a launchpad for year-long CPAR projects co-led by educators, caregivers, youth, and administrators.
2022-2023 - Educator Dialogues
Educator Dialouges
Caregivers, Staff, and Community Members
Appleton and Oshkosh Area School Districts
Educators and family members joined together for a series of conversations about ways they can support equity, inclusion, and belonging in their school communities. They engaged in problem solving and two way dialogues to consider each other’s perspectives and create action steps.
2021-2022 YPAR Study
YPAR Study
This was a 9 month-long paid opportunity for youth at Appleton North High School to make impactful change in our community. Participants learned about having confidence in class, and completed their own Participatory Action Research project. Through their work, they learned that cell phone use can have a big impact on student learning, and it takes trust with teachers and friendships with classmates to ask questions in class. Hosted by CARES Fox Cities and, this one-of-a-kind collaboration connects our students, their families, and our educators through change making.
2020-2021 YPAR Study
YPAR Study
This was a 9 month-long paid opportunity for youth and educators across all AASD schools to make impactful change in our community. Participants learned about Supporting the Education of African Immigrant Students in Appleton, WI and completed their own Participatory Action Research project. Through their work, they learned that Students, Parents, and Staff agreed that staff lack preparedness when it comes to supporting students effectively. Hosted by CARES Fox Cities and, this one-of-a-kind collaboration connects our students, their families, and our educators through change making.