Written By: Molly Hart

Saturday, November 15, high school students from various Fairchester private schools gathered for the annual Saturday Summit on Social Justice (SSSJ), a day dedicated to learning, collaboration, and community building around pressing social issues. Designed to engage young people interested in advocacy and change-making, the summit offers workshops, discussions, and affinity spaces that empower students to explore their ability to make a difference in their schools and beyond.

At its core, SSSJ is a space for high school students who are interested in multiple aspects of social justice work, according to Eliana Thomas ’26, one of this year’s student facilitators. The event serves as both a learning experience and a platform for youth leadership, encouraging participants to think critically about the world around them while also giving them practical tools to take action.

Yasmin Folarin ’28, another student facilitator, described the summit as “a conference hosted every November by the Masters School, where students attend and facilitate workshops about various social justice issues that they’re passionate about.” Collaboration is at the heart of SSSJ, which brings together students from multiple schools united by a shared commitment to awareness and activism.

This year’s program includes a variety of student-led workshops covering topics such as community organizing, intersectionality, racial equity, and gentrification. Among these is a session led by Thomas and her co-facilitator, Tia Agarwal ’26, titled “The Power of a Project: The Importance of Projects in Building Community and Fostering Change.” The workshop centers on how student-driven projects can be catalysts for social impact. “We’re basically just going to share our experiences with working with and making projects to address a problem,” Thomas explained. “The idea is to show how projects, big or small, can create real change in a community.”

By reflecting on their own initiatives, Thomas and Agarwal hope to inspire other students to see the potential in taking on projects that align with their passions or respond to needs they see around them. The workshop underscores one of the summit’s main goals: empowering students not only to talk about justice but to practice it through concrete action.

Similarly, Folarin’s workshop takes on a topic that resonates deeply with many students in independent schools. Her session, which is about the perception of people of color in Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs), explores how stereotypes, cultural differences, and misconceptions can shape the experiences of students of color. “Me and my fellow facilitators dive into stereotypes, cultural differences, and common misconceptions about various people by others due to lack of education on certain topics and ignorance,” Folarin explained. Her workshop aims to create space for honest dialogue and shared understanding while highlighting the importance of empathy and awareness in diverse educational environments.