Eagle Rock Student Ambassadors Bring Youth Voice to the ISEEN Catalyst Institute

We’re excited to share that a group of Eagle Rock Student Ambassadors, representing our Professional Development Center (PDC), recently contributed through video presentation to the Independent Schools Experiential Education Network (ISEEN) Catalyst Institute. This institute is a retreat and professional-learning experience designed to help independent schools fully integrate experiential education into their core practices. Teams of school leaders, including heads of school, DEI directors, academic deans, and experiential-education directors, spend several days engaging in workshops and collaborative planning across five key strands: faculty activation; experiential learning within academic content; DEIB; using community and the world as a classroom; and experiential-education assessment. The goal is to equip schools with practical tools, strategic plans, and strong networks so experiential learning becomes central rather than supplemental.

As an extension of the PDC, our Student Ambassadors play a vital role in sharing the heart of Eagle Rock’s work beyond our campus. They bring authentic youth perspectives to national conversations about teaching, learning, and school change, and the Catalyst Institute was an ideal setting for this. Through a video presentation, our ambassadors joined educators and leaders from across the country to explore what becomes possible when experiential education is grounded in equity, purpose, and meaningful connection. Their stories reminded participants that students are not only learners but also powerful partners in shaping education.

We couldn’t be prouder of the insight and leadership they brought to the institute. Their contributions sparked meaningful dialogue and reinforced Eagle Rock’s belief that young people are essential to the future of education. A heartfelt thank-you to ISEEN for welcoming our ambassadors and to our students for representing Eagle Rock’s Professional Development Center with courage and authenticity.