In 2021, the Cayuga Heights Elementary School (CHES) Student Council started a discussion using the simplest of tools: a suggestion box.
Comprised of 5th-grade students, the Student Council meets every Monday to turn suggestions from their peers into actionable projects. The team was established to create a loudspeaker for student voice throughout the school, and now in its second year, these student leaders are proudly getting things done.
Last year, the most common topic in the suggestion box was gender identity and expression. Students wanted to learn and provide more educational tools to staff and students about LGBTQIA+ topics and language, including information on respecting others’ pronouns. In collaboration with students from Belle Sherman Elementary, the CHES Student Council created a slideshow with definitions and helpful tips for honoring gender expression and gender identities.