Middle School Students Attend Morning of Deliberative Dialogue

From Aldaine Wynter, Director of IDI: On November 7, a group of students in Grades 7 and 8 participated in A Morning of Deliberative Dialogue, hosted by the Close Up Foundation in partnership with Alexandria Country Day School. Students from across the region, including Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia, came together to engage in a civic learning experience focused on thoughtful, respectful discussion.

The theme for this year was Town Memorials and students explored the central question: “What, if anything, should our community do with the Confederate statue in the town park?” During the dialogue, participants examined different viewpoints, reflected on the values behind each perspective, and worked collaboratively to understand the choices communities face when looking at how history is represented in shared public spaces.

Deliberation encourages students to listen carefully, consider multiple perspectives, and identify areas of shared understanding. It is not about winning an argument; it is about building the skills that help young people engage with complex issues in productive and respectful ways.

The Close Up Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students become informed and active participants in civic life. Through experiences like this one, Close Up supports young people in understanding how communities make decisions and how individual voices can contribute to meaningful conversations.

We congratulate our WIS students for their curiosity, empathy, and thoughtful engagement throughout the event. They represented our school with pride and demonstrated what it means to be internationally minded, reflective, and committed to understanding the world around them.