JCPS students gathered on Saturday, Feb. 24 for the annual JusticeFest, an event that’s part of the Derby Festival’s Derby Equity and Community Initiative. During JusticeFest, 13 student groups in grades 3-12 met with community leaders, business professionals, and mentors to pitch projects focused on positive change in the community.
A few of the topics students proposed solutions to included:
- Homelessness
- Trash disposal concerns
- Inclusiveness
After the event, teachers took to social media to celebrate their students’ achievements, which included Waggeners Black Student Union raising $5,500 for a mobile food bus at Waggener High School and Bates Elementary Justice League pitching the first all-inclusive playground in JCPS.
JusticeFest is just one part of the Justice Now program at JCPS. The program, which launched in January 2021, pushes its students to “be the change” and shape the future of their community.