Woodland Hills hosts summit on tough topics with Western Pa. high schools

Mental health.

Racial injustice.

Student grief and loss.

Economic hardships.

Self-care in a pandemic.

Cultural discrepancies.

Misrepresentation in media.

These were topics explored by Western Pa. high schoolers on Thursday.

A virtual Student Summit organized by students at Woodland Hills High School included peers from Aliquippa, Mt. Lebanon, Hampton, Gateway, Belle Vernon, Pittsburgh Public and Westmont Hilltop in Johnstown.

It was the second year for the event, and the first time other school districts were invited. Woodland Hills English teacher Erin Wall facilitated the discussion.

“The goal was to give the students a voice and to have open dialogue,” Wall said. “It’s about working through our differences and finding some commonality.”

The Woodland Hills students chose topics, researched details and led discussions. Teachers and administrative leaders from all schools oversaw each session. Retired teachers and alumni from Woodland Hills participated as well as community leaders and experts.

Micah Dean, a 2020 Woodland Hills graduate, suggested welcoming other school districts to create unity among youth. She said she was partially influenced by unfortunate incidents such as sporting events involving Woodland Hills and other schools. The most recent was at Peters Township High School in October.

Two students wore black, full-body spandex suits that resembled blackface during a marching band performance before a football game. The school’s officials formally apologized for an “insensitive” choice of costumes.

“We don’t want to repeat history,” Dean said. “We are more similar than we are different. Some of us have younger siblings and we don’t want them to go through what we went through. There are so many stereotypes.”

Dean and fellow graduates Meghan Reichert and Tyresse Tibbs also took part. Reichert said the summit opened up conversations to make young people feel less alone in their struggles.

Tibbs said the event was a way to enlighten other students about tough topics like poverty and discrimination.

“There is such a disconnect,” Tibbs said. “We are all teenagers. We are not really that different.”

Next year, the plan is to integrate students from the different districts to help lead the event, Wall said. The pandemic has caused pain for every school district in the region.

“We’ve lost concerts and being in-person in school and hanging out with people,” Wall said. “We’ve lost a lot of everyday life.”

Bilquisu Abdullah, a senior, who led a forum on student loss and grief, said Thursday was an experience she will remember the rest of her life.

“Woodland Hills is such a unique community,” said Abdullah, who had a Black Lives Matter sign behind her. “It’s an emotional roller coaster.”

Sessions included four student leaders, 15 participants and support through teachers and community experts.

In the racial injustice session, participants voted on two topics to discuss and addressed discrimination and injustice.

“It is important to talk about issues, but it’s just as important to really listen,” said senior Desmon Jackson, who was a leader in the cultural discrepancies session. “We need to understand the uniqueness of us all.”

“Get to know each other, “ said Jayson Allen, senior, a leader in cultural discrepancies.

Libby Alfieri, a Woodland Hills senior, is part of an anti-racism group at the school. She led a forum on misrepresentation in media.

“We hear so much negative,” she said. “Our school is often misrepresented. I see us treated differently.”

Lynn Clement, principal at Westmont Hilltop, said the students ventured out of their comfort zone to discuss life-changing topics.

“All of these students are independent thinkers,” said Woodland Hills Principal Phillip K. Woods. “This is about empowering children. This summit expanded the range of experiences for our students.”