PBN Diversity Equity & Inclusion 2023 Awards
Education – K-12: William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School
AT WILLIAM M. DAVIES JR. CAREER AND TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL, diversity and inclusion “are important to everything we do,” said Susan Votto, an administrator for the school’s career and technical education and office of workforce development.
Based in Lincoln, the state-run career and technical high school draws students from around Rhode Island, with most students hailing from Central Falls and Pawtucket. Through classroom learning and work placement experiences, students prepare for careers in various trade fields, including automotive, health careers and machine technology.
Davies’ overall mission is to provide challenging academic and technical education within a supportive environment where every graduate has an opportunity to succeed in the career of his or her choosing. Minority students make up 70% of the school’s enrollment, which includes 431 females and 458 males, according to Votto.
Over the past year, school leadership supported several initiatives to help ensure that all students get assistance. One such example is the creation of the new Davies Community Cultural Compact, initiated by the school’s social justice club.
According to the compact’s mission statement, Davies will provide a community where “people will be supported inclusive of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, sexual identity, religion and religious practices, and all physical or mental abilities as well as country of origin.” Discrimination, the compact says, has “no place in our community.”
Its creation was supported by social justice club adviser and social studies teacher Ryan Hall. Students surveyed school community members for feedback, wrote drafts, defined terms and received buy-in from teachers and administrators before finalizing the document, which is posted across Davies. The school community plans to revise and add to the compact in future years, as needed, he said.
“We’re an extremely diverse school,” Hall said. “So, the idea of not talking about these things was almost a disservice to the school and to these kids.”
The compact has and will continue to serve as a starting point for discussion about what equity truly means, Hall says. He said the school had a reception in the spring in which the Davies community signed the compact, discussed the work and why it is important for all involved.
Davies’ leadership and staff members also empower students to discuss issues related to economic equality and justice. For example, in May of this year several students testified at the R.I. Statehouse in support of universal free meals at public schools across the state.
The school also has its own thrift shop for students in need of business-style attire for work placements, as well as The Pantriot, a food pantry that offers students in need food to take home to their families. Additionally, LGBTQIA+ students are supported through a student club called the Rainbow Society, created with the purpose of giving students the opportunity to discuss gender, sexuality and expression in a safe environment.
Regarding career development, Davies is one of 13 local education agencies participating in the R.I. Department of Education’s $1.6 million Menu for Success Student Food Truck Initiative. Each school system through the program receives a food truck and associated supports that promote entrepreneurship, culinary arts, automotive learning and graphic design, especially for those looking to launch a minority business enterprise.
Language diversity is another focus at Davies. The school offers parent presentations and workshops in English and Spanish. Davies also has bilingual parent liaisons to help bridge any gaps in communication between home and school.
“Anytime we do parent teacher conferences, we hire a group of translators to come in to help any parents who need them,” Votto said.
Being proficient in more than one language is also noted on students’ diplomas. In 2023, 22 students received the Seal of Biliteracy, a diploma designation that indicates students are proficient in English and their native language, which was an increase of nine students from the previous year.
Bilingual students have an advantage when applying for jobs after graduation, Votto says.
“Our goal is to increase the number of students receiving this distinction every year,” she said.
