Multiplying Good’s Students In Action (SIA) is a unique service, leadership, and recognition program that unleashes the potential in each young person and multiplies the good they achieve. Last Fall, M.S. 129 Academy for Independent Learning and Leadership joined our NY Students In Action cohort as NYC’s first middle school team – Bronx Leaders 129.
The students of Bronx Leaders 129 took identified the issue they wanted to address through their social justice class, which allowed them to develop a consciousness of their community’s problems and challenges. The team ultimately decided to focus on domestic violence and homelessness as their area of interest because these issues touched many team members personally. They partnered with a local organization, “Haven of Hope,” which temporarily houses over 90 children as they provide assistance for both the children and their mothers, and organized a clothing drive. As they learned more about this issue, they spread awareness to other students, educating their school community through presentations and community bulletin boards, and engaged their peers in service as well. Their efforts have impacted more than 451 individuals, and they plan to expand their efforts in the next school year.
One M.S. 129 student commented, “Being a member of SIA has changed our viewpoint on the community, bringing us to realize issues and how much we need to assist our community. SIA, made a difference in our ability to develop social and collaborative skills. The SIA leadership conference made a difference in pursuing our dreams and growing as individuals. We began to work with people who we didn’t always like or weren’t friends with. However, we managed to put that aside and developed the ability to work with people and realize when things require a change. Our group's leadership superpower is to be able to constantly be there and be reliable and dependable.”
