Speak Up for Change Conference Recommendations Released

Earlier in the school year a contingent of eight Huntington High School students participated in the Section XI Nick DeCillis “Speak Up For Change” student-athlete conference at Center Moriches.

Huntington seniors Olivia Polinsky and Lucas Spagnoletti; juniors Sophie Carlson and Jordan Thorbourne; sophomores Isabella Palacios and Shariff Penalo and freshmen Caroline Mitek and William Donaghy were among the more than 500 student-athletes from 60-plus high schools participating in the program.

During the conference, participants were asked to brainstorm recommendations to improve various areas of student life. The responses were compiled as succinctly as possible as recently released to Suffolk athletic directors.

Listed below are some of the key recommendations students had for their high schools:

How can athletes foster kindness, empathy and positivity?

Having teams work together to engage in community service events can act as team bonding while also making a positive impact on the community. School-wide events that bring students with different backgrounds and interests together can improve empathy and kindness

How can we improve school spirit?

Organizing student-led activities is a good way to improve school spirit as students are more likely to get involved and care when they follow the lead of their peers. Including non-athletic students in sports is a good way to start. Introducing them to small roles like score keeping and other helpful activities in sporting events will help them grow closer to the community. Then, school spirit will grow within the students.

How can we improve motivation levels in athletes and teams?

In order to improve motivation levels in athletes and teams you can use rewards and recognition. Students are motivated by tangible rewards such as food, apparel, gift card and coupons. One example is awarding the team with the highest average GPA with a sweatshirt or gift card. Another example could be having a pizza party to celebrate accomplishing a team goal.

How can sports promote inclusivity and diversity in schools?

In order to promote inclusivity and diversity in schools, sports games can be dedicated to spreading awareness for various causes such as breast cancer awareness, autism awareness, black history month, etc. Additionally, finding ways to get students with different backgrounds and interests to come together at sports games can improve DEI (ex: pep band, half time performances, showcases).