Investing in Educators
The 2022-2023 academic year saw a return to normality since the start of the pandemic. For SYF, the Foundation returned to providing in-person professional development to our network of Academy educators and students. From November 3-6, 2022, Simon Youth Foundation hosted representatives from all of our Academies at the Omni Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was the first time in two years we were able to learn and celebrate together.
The 4-day event with the theme of “It’s a Brand New Day” brought together just over 100 educators. The conference featured Dr. Anindya Kundu as the opening keynote speaker, whose message about the power of student agency was thought-provoking and very well-received. Educators also participated in a session on fundraising designed specifically for the SYF Network by the Indiana University School of Philanthropy. In addition to these high-level sessions, educators were presented with a range of concurrent session options on subjects such as mindfulness, support for teachers, and supporting students with substance use disorders.
The closing keynote speech was delivered by Dr. Dan Durbin, who was Indiana’s Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Runner-Up in 1996. His message to network educators was about the power of one caring individual in the lives of their students. Dr. Dubin shared his personal experiences as a neglected youth and as an educator to drive this point home to the network. At the end of the session, network educators connected the dots between the first keynote from Dr. Kundu to the last with Dr. Durbin to understand that students have amazing power when they are empowered and that one teacher can provide that power to individual students.
2022 SYF Administrator of the Year: Tammi Broadus
Simon Youth Academy at Greenfield-Central Schools
(Greenfield, IN)
Mrs. Broadus works tirelessly on behalf of students. As our Social Worker, she constantly seeks out creative ways to best meet the diverse needs of our students. Her dedication to and concern for the best interests of our students is exemplary. Mrs. Broadus meets each week with her group of advisory students that we established at our Academy. In that role, she helps students establish daily, weekly, quarterly and yearly goals. She is playing a vital role in organizing a community fair where employers, trade schools, and various other organizations relevant to our students’ lives will all be together under one roof. This is a culmination of the programs and opportunities Mrs. Broadus has put together for students all year long to show them their future options beyond high school. New to our program this year are the support groups Mrs. Broadus oversees three days per week. With topics such as Mindfulness, Anxiety/Depression and Grief – these groups have made a substantial impact on the lives of our students.
In her own words:
“I believe empathy, trust and intentional listening are the building blocks of successful relationships with my students. Students come to our Academy with a number of traumatic experiences and a hard history. They are seeking a place where they are safe and heard. I want my students to know that they have a place where they are safe, can relax and share their story without being criticized; while knowing that it will only be shared with the intention of providing additional safety, support and help when needed. Relationship building with students is the #1 most successful practice of our Academy. We make a conscious effort to have conversations with every student that is on our roster. It has always felt like my job to make people feel better or make their circumstances better, if I have the ability to do so. School social work has afforded me an opportunity to do that work every day.”
2022 SYF Teacher of the Year: Adrienne Meeks
Simon Youth Academy at Orlando Outlet Marketplace
(Orlando, FL)
Ms. Meeks is a one-of-a-kind teacher. She came in to SYA and drank the Orange Kool-Aid quickly. She has always been an enthusiastic teacher, but when she arrived at SYA, she knew this place was finally home. She shares her love of reading and books with students. Always finding what works for them and what they would like to read. She is amazing at creating curriculum that is exciting but still following the guidelines set by the district/state. Ms. Meeks brought a different feel to SYA when she started and has continued to make it even better each year. She participates in all activities that she possibly can in and out of school. For instance, she created our now very permanent “Starbooks Cafe”, it has a coffee and tea station as well as books highlighted for the month. There are games, tables and chairs where students can eat and enjoy their meals as friends. She started a Shakespeare competition for our students to participate, with some students participating in the English-Speaking Union Shakespeare competition, where students have an opportunity to earn a cash prize and even a trip to New York to compete nationally.
In her own words:
“As a teacher, I strive to reflect on my work and ask myself, how can I make this better? Is there a way that I can break this down even more to make it more accessible to my students?”
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