Resources:
Lee Van Roth's Feature Article: Ypsi’s Student Advocacy Center marks 50 years of supporting student success and educational equity
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan
Student Advocacy Center Contact Info
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan on Facebook
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan on Instagram
Student Advocacy Center of Michigan on YouTube
Transcription:
Lee Van Roth: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is On The Ground Ypsi. The Student Advocacy Center, based right here in Ypsilanti, has spent decades making sure students who are struggling in school aren't pushed out, overlooked, or silenced. From fighting discriminatory discipline policies to providing one-on-one advocacy and long-term mentoring, SAC has built a model rooted in relationships, equity, and persistence. In celebration of the center's recent 50th anniversary, I'm joined by co-executive director, Peri Stone-Palmquist. Peri, welcome! It's so great to have you here!
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Oh, thanks so much! That was such a beautiful introduction! Thank you!
Lee Van Roth: So, the Student Advocacy Center was founded back in 1975 to address high suspension and expulsion rates. Now, as we mark 50 years of service to the community, Peri, what feels like the organization's biggest accomplishment right now? I'm sure that might be hard to narrow down.
Peri Stone-Palmquist: That's a big question! You know, we celebrated a year ago, because there was sort of a soft launch, if you will. So, I can't get a straight answer of exactly when we started, but we have some works that say we started in 1974--anyway, around 1974 or 1975. So, we celebrated last fall with our founder, founding executive director Ruth Zweifler, who died about a year ago. So, this was her last big public event, and she was really reflecting on how the narrative for young people has changed. And a lot of people have been around a lot longer than I have were reflecting on that. Like, there is acknowledgement of mental health, of trauma, of the wisdom of our children, that they're not just little pawns to be controlled, that they come to us with a lot of ideas and wisdom that we need to lift up. She was able to sort of see that shift. So, that's maybe a little esoteric, but I think that the voices of folks in Student Advocacy Center have been lifting up that messaging for a long time. And certainly, other voices have amplified it as well. So, I think just that idea that young people are wise, that they deserve our support, that mental health is something that we should acknowledge and support and those sorts of things, those sort of shift in the way we support young people.
Lee Van Roth: And obviously, you work pretty closely with the schools throughout the district here and not even just Washtenaw County, there's reach all across the state from Student Advocacy Center. And I'm wondering this idea, I guess, that you and I have discussed about how, obviously, there's this presence in the schools, but there's also this really strong presence in the community for the families and for students. And I'm wondering why being a bridge in that way between school and between students in school and then students going out into the community after school, why is that so central to the work that you're doing?
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Yeah, I think it's a recognition that children have and young people have a lot going on at school and they have a lot going in at the home. And those two places and the community and all of those things can interact and impact the other. So, we're ultimately there to really make sure young people are being successful in school, so that they can be successful in their communities and home later. And if we're not addressing each of those things, then we're really missing out. I know the schools tell us that that's something and a lot of our partners have said that that's something that they really appreciate, that we can be in the schools with young people, at school meetings with them, but we can also go do a home visit or take them out in the community. So, that bridge, as you call it, is really critical. And I think a lot of our parents and caregivers themselves have had challenging experiences when they were in school, and they don't have the trust there. And so, we know how important it is for parents and caregivers to be a part of their young person's education. And so, having that bridge and helping rebuild that trust and helping the parent feel more confident. A lot of our parents, of course, are parenting young people with disabilities or past trauma. And so, helping them with that specialized knowledge and being able to self-advocate in the school. So, that's some of the bridge work that we're doing that feels really critical for young people to be successful.
Lee Van Roth: These relationships that Student Advocacy Center is developing at pretty much any given time with a student, with a caregiver, with a family unit in general, maybe there are a couple of secrets on how to make that work long-term. But I'm curious about what that, or what it really takes to, sustain that kind of relationship and rapport in order for students to then come to you and say, "I feel secure, I feel supported, and I'm ready to take on the world."
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Yeah. When you were talking, I was just thinking of the scene of our founding executive director and how she described the founding of the Student Advocacy Center in her kitchen, tutoring a young person and just developing a lifelong relationship with that, who's now an adult and has kids and grandkids of his own. And so, one thing I just love about our team is how much they love young people. And sometimes, schools want to implement these fancy programs and this approach, that approach, but it really just comes down to, "Does the kid feel safe with you? Do they have a relationship with you? Do you know their name? Do you know what they care about? Do you what they're passionate about?" I think of some of the best teachers that my kids had, and it was like someone knew my kid like this topic and got a book for them, like those little connections. Of course, any of us do better when we're in relationship with people. I think you asked like, "How do we sustain that?"
Lee Van Roth: Yeah.
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Well, most of our mentors, in particular, are meeting with young people every single week for two, three, four, five years. So, that's how they do it" just repetition and over time. And I think it's been funny. Some of the stories that our mentees have said. They're like, "I found my mentors so annoying!" But the persistence was there. They moved past that sort of teens can give attitude, of course.
Lee Van Roth: Sure.
Peri Stone-Palmquist: I mean, so can adults.
Lee Van Roth: Right.
Peri Stone-Palmquist: But those of us who are parents of teens know the specific kind of attitude you can get from a teen. And so, to not just let that be, "Well, just forget it. I'm going to not try to take time with this young person." Just that persistence over time makes a difference.
Lee Van Roth: This is On the Ground Ypsi. I'm Lee Van Roth, talking with Peri Stone-Palmquist from the Student Advocacy Center. So, Peri, SAC has also invested really, really heavily and pointedly in not just advocacy, but inspiring leadership and inspiring students to organize as well as take ownership over their education. Why is it so important in Washtenaw County and beyond for these young people to not just go out and do these wonderful things but really be encouraged to and pushed to do those things, even though they might seem maybe challenging or maybe out-of-reach for a young person?
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Yeah, I mean, because we're in the schools every day and families are calling us when there's challenges in the school, there's a lot that needs to change, right? And who are the best people to create those changes and to know what the solutions are. It's young people themselves. And so, they have a lot of wisdom, so, of course, we want to develop that. We also see that a lot young people who are struggling in schools, it's because that leadership capabilities haven't really been cultivated. And so, it's such an amazing thing to watch a young person who maybe isn't believing in themselves and is sort of maybe acting out or they're withdrawn. And then, they're given that opportunity, that support, saying, "Yeah, I do believe in you. You can make a difference," not just in your own life, not just on your peers' lives, but young people around the state. That's pretty transformative, that opportunity. And so, I just think we've seen so many lives changed, individual lives, and then things have gotten better in their schools because of that. So, yeah!
Lee Van Roth: And I'm sure being able to measure the difference in a student's life or a family's life is not the most cut and dry, easy thing. I'm sure you can look at grade point averages and percentages, but I'm wondering what kinds of things do you hear or have conversations about with students or with families, even with teachers, folks in the schools that show that the work that's being put into these students who really just need an extra hand or an extra voice around in order to succeed. What do those conversations look like? And you're able to say, "Yes, this is working!"
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Yeah. I mean, I should say we are heavy into quantitative. All of my team will tell you maybe it's very time intensive, but we do know that grades increase, behavioral incidents decrease, attendance, so that's the quantitative. But we do a special evaluation where we ask the families like, "For you, how would you define what was the most significant change?" So, forget these measures that the researchers say are important. What do you say? And it is exactly some of the things we've been talking about, that they feel like they've found their voice, that they can self-advocate, that someone's finally paying attention to them. Some of the families have been trying and trying and trying to get services and supports for their young people and felt like no one would listen to them, and so find that they're being listened to. But for youth that are involved in our youth organizing, it just really feeling like they have skills that they didn't have before that they understand how systems work and policies and how they can create change in the world.
Lee Van Roth: And as we look ahead to the next 50 years, or maybe shrink that back to maybe the next five, 10 years, what are you most hopeful about moving forward with this work, and what are hoping to see?
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Oh, that's a beautiful question! We are so excited to be part of a statewide coalition focused on better resourcing our schools. So, I'm really excited about that it's a long journey. But our schools don't have enough resources for the needs that are in there every day. And so, I'm very hopeful about that and the kinds of changes that that can leverage, so that our schools can better love and connect with our young people.
Lee Van Roth: Peri, thank you so much for joining me today and for helping us better understand how Student Advocacy Center has grown and shifted and evolved over these past few decades. And we really look forward to see, with the new year coming up, what's to come!
Peri Stone-Palmquist: Yeah! Thank you so much!
Lee Van Roth: For more on today's conversation and a link to the full article, visit our website at WEMU.org. On the Ground Ypsi is brought to you in partnership with Concentrate Media. I'm Lee Van Roth, and this is your community NPR station, 89.1 WEMU-FM Ypsilanti! Celebrating 60 years of broadcasting at Eastern Michigan University!
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