Dear SEMIS Coalition,
As we approach the end of another calendar year, I’d like to take a moment to share my gratitude for all this year – and especially this community – have brought to place-based learning in our region.
First, my gratitude goes to the teachers in our coalition. The deeply engaged learners, confident ambassadors of their schools and communities, and sense of belonging I got to see in your students at the Community Forum in my first days as Director I know are the product of weeks of thoughtful planning and research, many conversations with community organizations and school leaders, and your persistence and resourcefulness to make all of the projects, field trips, guest speakers, and hands-on learning experiences possible, even against all the other things competing for your time. But, even beyond your committed investment in your students, you have also invested so much in the growth and development of the Coalition this year. Whether it was partnering with us on a research effort, sharing a successful project or approach at a professional learning day, co-presenting with us at a national conference, or even documenting and sharing your work through our blog or social media – your contributions to each other and to the commons of our coalition are what have driven our deepest and most transformative learning and have created our own sense of community.
My gratitude similarly goes to the principals, instructional coaches, district administrators, regional educational service agency leaders, and other system-changers in education in our district. Your leadership clears a path for place-based learning – breaking down barriers in transportation, school schedules, sub coverage, and resource provision; identifying teachers or even whole schools who would excel in place-based teaching and feel supported in the SEMIS community; and working with each other to coordinate programs, professional learning, and financial resources to have a broad and equitable impact on place-based learning in our region. Your partnership with us and steadfast commitment to your teachers and students this year has helped not only shape, but also actualize so many parts of our vision for transformative education.
Next, to our community partners – you are our champions of place and our guides and exemplars for stewarding positive change in our communities. You are endlessly generous in sharing your resources with teachers, their students, and our Coalition – from offering your expertise on specific project topics, to visiting or hosting young people for field experiences, from sharing the tools and supplies teachers need to complete a project, to hosting a Coalition event and so, so much more. Your partnership this year has been an engine for place-based learning, not just for young people, but for our entire Coalition – even beyond! Your flexibility and resourcefulness allow us to seamlessly bridge gaps and open doors to the types of learning experiences students will never forget.
I also want to share my gratitude with our broad, committed, and unbelievably generous ecosystem of supporters. To our volunteers, who make light work of big events or complex field experiences. To our advocates at Eastern Michigan University and at the Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, who strengthen and expand the systems and networks in which we work. To our donors and funders, who share gifts of all sizes and ensure we have the resources to continue to deepen and grow our impact, even amidst uncertainty. And to the SEMIS Coalition staff, who have not only dedicated their careers to this work, but also support the Coalition by sharing their resources, networks, and constantly evolving expertise.
And, finally, I’d like to thank all of the young people who engage with us in place-based learning. Your curiosity, enthusiasm, and passionate visions for your communities are a constant source of inspiration and hope. Especially to the young people who have contributed to our series on youth voice in our region – thank you for sharing your experiences and perspectives so generously and for strengthening us as a coalition as we work to grow youth voice in our own work. It is a privilege to learn and lead alongside you.
Like a healthy ecosystem, our Coalition is diverse, adaptive, highly interconnected, and, importantly, deeply rooted in a shared sense of belonging to our place and to each other. It is a privilege to work together with you towards a bold vision for just, meaningful, and transformative education for sustainable and healthy communities. Thank you, deeply, for all that you do. I so look forward to what the next year – and beyond – will bring for this community.
Wishing you warmth, joy, and many opportunities to spend time in your place and with your loved ones in this season.
In Partnership,
Anna
Director, SEMIS Coalition | abalzer1@emich.edu
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