Greensboro Day School Representatives Attend Civic Leadership Summit

Over February 3–6, Greensboro Day School was represented at the Close Up Foundation’s Empowering Girls’ Voices Program in Washington, D.C., by Katie Gunther ’27 and Eighth Grade English Teacher Holly Christensen. Both attended through the generous support of the Gail M. LeBauer Endowment in Girls’ Leadership, which makes opportunities like this possible for GDS students and faculty.

The Student Summit invites participants to select a public policy issue to explore in depth during the conference. Working collaboratively, students develop a policy proposal and consult with experts who are actively engaged in their chosen field. Katie’s group focused on paid maternity leave, examining the issue from multiple perspectives as they crafted their proposal. Her peers selected Katie to serve as Committee Chair, recognizing her leadership and ability to guide thoughtful discussion within the group.

The Educators Summit centered on incorporating deliberative discourse into curriculum and classroom practice. Through experiential learning and conversations with speakers and fellow educators, Ms. Christensen explored ways to strengthen civic dialogue in the classroom. She also exchanged ideas with teachers from across the country and around the world, broadening her perspective on how to cultivate student voice and engagement.

Reflecting on the experience, Ms. Christensen shared, “I had such a positive and heartening experience at the Close Up Empowering Girls program. I left feeling that our country is in very good hands with these young women as future leaders.”