In Second Grade, a study of historical movements leads to action and advocacy

Second Grade students at the Advent School in Boston met with both State Representative John Moran and WBZ reporter Paul Burton to advocate for the African Meeting House, which is facing a significant drop in federal funding.

Watch the WBZ News story

The students, along with teachers Emily Gutermann and Bridget Parker, visited the Meeting House on a field trip as part of ongoing research and investigation into their classroom theme, “Changemakers and Social Movements.” They saw an original copy of The Liberator newspaper, stood at the same podium as Frederick Douglass, and walked the Black Heritage Trail.

The visit made such an impact on them that students were motivated to use their collective voices to help.

In addition to meeting with Representative Moran (Suffolk 9th District), the students created a letter appealing to the broader community:

We are Second grade students at the Advent School in Boston. This year our class has been studying Changemakers and Social Movements. We have learned all about how social movements are formed and groups of people can come together to make change happen. We are writing to you with a big problem that you may be able to help with. The African Meeting House in Beacon Hill is losing much of its federal funding which is critical for the museum to stay open and be able to share the important history of the Abolitionist movement with the public and kids like us.

On our visit to the meeting house we learned so much about the people and artifacts that were such important parts of this movement. We saw a real copy of the Liberator newspaper and stood in the same room that housed the first public school in the country for African American children. We walked parts of the Black Heritage trail and even had the chance to stand on the same pulpit as Fredrick Douglass and share what freedom means to us.

This field trip made a huge impact on us and helped us better understand this important part of our country's history. We think it's really important to do what we can to help support the African Meeting House and use our voices to ask for your help.

Here is the link to support this important place: https://htru.io/SPiK

Thank you!

The 2B classroom at the Advent School

“At The Advent School, we believe that education is not just about academics, but about helping students understand who they are, what they believe in, and how they can contribute to the world around them,” said Nicole DuFauchard, Advent’s Head of School. “This advocacy is a wonderful example of how kids can use their passion and their unique voice to change the world.”

“In challenging times like these, the words and actions of young people like you can make a real difference. Thank you for stepping up and showing such compassion and leadership,” wrote Dr. Noelle Trent, President & CEO of Boston’s Museum of African American History, in a letter to the class. “As you move on to third grade, I hope you continue to grow in your leadership. You’ve already shown that everyone has an opportunity to be a part of positive change, at any age”

The Advent School is a pre-K through Grade 6 school located in Beacon Hill and serving students across Greater Boston. Since 1961, The Advent School has stayed true to its founding vision: an urban school whose community reflects the diversity of Boston; a forward-thinking curriculum that inspires and engages a child’s passion for learning; a commitment to social justice; and a culture of collaboration where every child has the confidence to take action in a connected world.