Resilience & Robust Discourse at Ravenscroft School

In recent years, schools have become hotbeds of polarized conflict. Whether the issue is gun violence, gender identity, religion in public spaces, or difficult histories, the need for thoughtful dialogue in secondary schools has grown exponentially.  

To meet that need today and nurture the skills of tomorrow’s leaders, Essential Partners has continued to adapt and expand our programming for secondary schools—like Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Ravenscroft students are not just participants; they are becoming capable and inspired facilitators, eager to engage their communities on the issues that matter most to them. Teachers have embedded the spirit of dialogue into the foundations of their teaching. Ravenscroft, meanwhile, has made dialogue a core part of its school culture: 

• 44 educators and 94 students trained in dialogue facilitation
• 40 new trained student facilitators on campus each year
• The program expanded across all divisions, with Upper School students facilitating 
  dialogue with Lower School students (5th-8th graders) to build empathy and belonging 

This past school year, Ravenscroft’s inspiring students led eleven large-scale dialogues 
involving students, faculty, and parents on challenging topics. For example, they navigated 
complex issues like: 

• The 2024 Election
• Gun Violence and Safety
• Gender (In)Equity
• Women's Reproductive Rights 

The dialogue on the 2024 Election was particularly crucial. Administrators feared the election would cause division on their campus, as it had on so many others. But the student-led dialogue approach helped the community resist polarization. As Director of Dialogic Campus Lorre Gifford shared: “We got through that time without incident because of the dialogues we did.” 

This year, the school has already hosted three dialogues during orientation: one facilitated by and for teachers and two student-led dialogues to welcome incoming Middle Schoolers and 9th graders. An additional ten dialogues are planned for the coming school year! 

Ravenscroft is a powerful testament to what a partnership with Essential Partners and the ongoing support of the CoP can build: a self-sustaining dialogue program that successfully engages all community stakeholders. They are already replicating this success by connecting with other partners (like Cary Academy and Notre Dame) and expanding their influence. This is the blueprint we are working to replicate across the country.