MSAN Conference Empowers APS Students

The Multicultural Student Achievement Network (MSAN) is a national coalition of multiracial school districts learning, growing, and working together toward improving access, opportunity, and achievement for students of color. APS selected nine students from grades 10 and 11 to participate in their annual student conference in December.

The theme for this year’s conference was “You Belong Here.” Students had the chance to interact with peers from across the country and experienced learning, networking, and team building opportunities. Guest speakers, including MSAN founder Allan Alson, discussed their careers and how they incorporate themes of diversity into their work and promote them in their daily practices. Students were encouraged to connect and collaborate with individuals from different backgrounds.

Also, students toured the University of Wisconsin-Madison and participated in career-related conversations, and had the chance to speak candidly with college students of color about their experiences.

At the end of the trip, students were invited to make a district plan on how to improve their school districts; they created a diverse range of presentations, including diversifying higher-level courses, helping students of color with their education, specialized learning plans, and more. APS’s student plan is to create a school-based project with the across-school goal of increasing for students of color their awareness, information and registration, and successful completion of higher-level classes (AP, DE, IB). The plans are intended to be organized throughout the school year, and we look forward to seeing them in action.

MSAN was an empowering trip that changed students’ perspectives on themselves and school districts.