On Saturday, March 8, 2025, The Office of Community Engagement and Belonging at Porter-Gaud School and the Office of Student Affairs at Ashley Hall will host the second annual Student Leadership Summit on Belonging in South Carolina. The Summit on Belonging is a place where a diverse group of 8th-12th grade students can come together to build community, gain knowledge, and develop servant leadership skills to enhance the sense of belonging at their schools. A sense of belonging is defined as “the feeling that we are part of a larger group that values, respects, and cares for us - and to which we feel we have something to contribute” (Cohen, 2022).
With a combination of a keynote, reflection, and workshops, participants will feel empowered to design effective strategies to further build a positive and inclusive culture at their schools.
The Belonging Summit can hold a maximum of 80 participants, with up to 10 students from each school. There is a cost of $100 per school, regardless of the number of registered students. *Note: If you would like to register more than 10 students, please email Terra Burke at tburke@portergaud.edu.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Nakia Wigfall
Nakia Wigfall comes from a long line of sweetgrass basketmakers that traces back seven generations. She and her siblings grew up in the Six Mile community in north Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, where they were taught the exacting
craft by their mother, who was taught by her mother. Nakia gives presentations and demonstrations in the art of basket making and Gullah traditions. She has won many awards in sweetgrass basket and art competitions. Also, she is well traveled: Sierra Leone, Senegal, West Africa, France, and Italy. An exciting project of Nakia's is an international basket-sewing project with artists in Sierra Leone.
Summit Schedule
8:30 am | Check In & Breakfast
9:00 am | Opening Program
10:00 - 10:45 am | Break Out Session
10:45 - 10:55 am | Brain Break
11:00 - 11:45 am | Break Out Session
12:00 pm | Lunch
12:30 - 1:10 pm | Dialogue Groups
1:15 - 1:40 pm | School Groups
1:45 pm | Reflection
2:00 pm | Closing
HISTORY
This important student event, envisioned and realized by faculty members from the Teaching for Black Lives Study Group at Porter-Gaud and Ashley Hall, focused on fostering a culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging within our schools and communities. Building on the dedication of this study group, we are excited to continue this critical dialogue and further our collective commitment to these values.
Quotes from Former Participants
