After a one year hiatus, the diversity group Peers Respecting Others, or P.R.O. for short, will soon be back in action. With Ms. Lidibette Rosado-Guzman, the Diversity Coordinator, working to overhaul the whole program, the year will be filled with many opportunities to get involved in activities concerning diversity.
After 10 years of teaching at BSM, Ms. Rosado-Guzman is training the teachers, faculty, and staff on how to incorporate more diversity activities into their curricula .
In order to enrich students’ social studies education, Ms. Rosado-Guzman has been scoping out field trip options that relate to what’s being studied in those classes. “One of the trips I have already planned is the Underground Railroad,” said Ms. Rosado-Guzman. It’s an outing where students will go on a course designed like that of the Railroad, complete with the situations and feelings that go with that experience.
She has also been trying to have more opportunities for junior high students to get involved. “One of the plans in the works is a peer tutoring group where students of color can be tutored by other students of color,” said Ms. Rosado-Guzman. The whole idea behind that stems from trying to make students more comfortable and productive in a working environment, and it helps interpersonal skills, said Ms. Rosado-Guzman.
In addition to including the junior high more, efforts are being made to be a more global society at BSM. “Fifty-four Japanese students will shadow BSM students and will have activities incorporated into their visit that are diversity oriented,” said Ms. Rosado-Guzman. This project will hopefully be just the beginning of a more personal global partnership, she said.
STEP team, a P.R.O.-sponsored performing group, will make a return this winter. “I am in the process of looking for a coach, and I have already scheduled performances at the home basketball games… It will be open to both girls and boys from junior and senior high, with no previous dancing experience necessary,” said Ms. Rosado-Guzman.
By hosting activities that are interesting to a wide variety of people, Ms. Rosado-Guzman hopes to debunk the myth that P.R.O. is only for students of color. If you have any questions regarding P.R.O., contact Ms. Rosado-Guzman.
