This year in Central Vermont, UP for Learning is partnering with schools and districts to use the Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) process to uncover what students and communities truly want and need from their education systems. Williamstown, Windsor, White River Valley Union, Montpelier-Roxbury, Randolph, and Barre are all working with UP customizable five programs to create lasting, positive change in their school cultures. This regional collaboration offers a powerful opportunity to explore what happens when youth and adults share power, voice, and responsibility to transform education together.
The Orange Southwest Supervisory District (OSSD) is leading a collaboration among three Central Vermont districts to gather regional data on what youth believe they need to be successful now and in the future. This initiative aims to inform both community and statewide decision-making, offering a powerful cross-district perspective on what future-focused education looks like from the viewpoint of today’s students. District leaders are eager to hear directly from youth about their needs — from the design of physical spaces, to the ways their communities can best support their emotional and academic growth, to the tools that will help them confidently pursue any postsecondary path.
After two retreats focused on building group cohesion, shaping focus group questions, practicing data collection, and facilitating circles, this dynamic team is now holding listening sessions throughout October and November. They will then analyze the data and prepare to share their findings with the State Legislature and the Agency of Education. As one youth reflected at the October retreat, “I came today feeling excited to see this group of people I’m coming to know and to think about how this work impacts my own school.” This captures one of the lasting lessons of the project: when teams cultivate strong, collaborative relationships and share power, voice, and responsibility, meaningful change follows.
Meanwhile in Windsor, UP is supporting youth leaders on the “Lighthouse Team,” a new action group formed by bringing together two representatives from each extracurricular club. This team is reimagining how to center youth voice in school policy, governance, and culture. Using the YPAR process, they aim to elevate student perspectives and ensure every student feels a deep sense of belonging and inclusion. Like much of UP’s work, the Windsor project is deeply rooted in restorative practices. Building knowledge and comfort with these approaches depends on strong relationships—beginning within the team itself and extending outward to classrooms, clubs, and the wider school community.
Williamstown Middle/High School will spend the year focused on Transforming School Culture Through Restorative Practices (RP). The youth team will learn about the fundamentals of restorative practices and then facilitate Professional Development sessions for the full staff on comfort with and incorporation into the school culture. Analyzing school climate data will help identify patterns, challenges, and opportunities for more equitable and meaningful restorative practices that promote connection, repair, and accountability.
Additionally, UP continues to partner with several Central Vermont schools in unique and meaningful ways. At Main Street Middle School in Montpelier, the Sustain Class is building leadership and facilitation skills through UP’s Youth Leadership Module, aligned with the Cultivating Pathways to Sustainability framework. Barre Unified Union School District is collaborating with UP through Project AWARE, alongside Twinfield and Cabot Schools, to strengthen mental health and wellbeing initiatives. Meanwhile, U-32 Middle/High School engaged in a customized Getting to ‘Y’ program that connects directly to their health curriculum and expands student leadership through their Student Council’s work with YPAR.
These individual projects, along with the broader regional commitment to amplifying youth voice and agency, create meaningful opportunities for young people to lead, innovate, and contribute. Together, they support our shared mission of developing engaged global citizens, community changemakers, and essential members of the workforce.
