Students Lead the Way for Connect 2 Change

By Kara McDuffee

On Sunday, May 4, the Grayson Student Center became a space for listening, learning, and connecting. Students and educators from Brewster, Holderness School, and Kingswood Regional High School came together for Connect 2 Change, Brewster’s annual equity conference designed to spark meaningful dialogue and reflection around identity and inclusion.

Unlike traditional conferences where adults lead the agenda, Connect 2 Change flips the script. At Brewster, students weren’t just participants—they were leading the charge.

The day began with a story exchange, an activity that asked everyone to lean in and really listen—not just to respond, but to understand. The exchange, planned by Brewster’s AP Global Scholars and led by Curvey Scholar Logan Cliche ’25, created a tone of trust and openness that carried through the rest of the event. After sharing their stories in pairs, groups shared what they heard from others, grounding everyone in perspective-taking. 

From there, participants moved into student-designed breakout sessions. Every workshop reflected the diverse interests, identities, and lived experiences of the students who created them. Whether exploring the challenges of living with Guillain-Barré syndrome, celebrating Jewish pride, demystifying Thai ghost stories, or examining the evolution of Black music and film, each session opened a window into a world shaped by personal truth.

Following two workshop sessions and small-group debriefs, students and faculty gathered for a shared BBQ dinner as an informal close to a deeply reflective day.

At the end of the conference, students shared their takeaways and reflections on video. Hear what they had to say in our video highlighting the event.