DHS Students Take the Lead at Inaugural SNAP Conference

Last Friday, eighteen Dexter High School students kicked off a new county-wide SNAP (Students Need Accepting Peers) Conference at the WISD (Washtenaw Intermediate School District). DHS Teacher Kalli Nowitzke and WISD Teacher Consultant Celeste Gentile collaborated with Peer-to-Peer schools and students in Washtenaw and neighboring counties to plan and implement the student-led event. Student participants presented information about their district programs, exchanged ideas with one another, and discussed ways to implement new concepts in their buildings.

The conference schedule also included plenty of time for students to hang out and play games together. Playing corn bag toss, Uno, and bingo, throwing foam axes, and building cool Hot Wheels tracks together strengthened established friendships and encouraged new ones!

Other school districts from around the area sent staff to observe and learn new ideas for their community. Nineteen school districts were represented at the conference, including Milan, Pioneer, Saline, Dexter, Howell, and University of Michigan Best Buddies program.

“This was our first year, and the students were really excited,” says Mrs. Nowitzke. “They worked so hard to get everything in order!”

DHS student participants included Alana Bilakos, Chase Biskner, Callan Biga, Lydia Cebulski, Ainsley Davis, Liam Fealy, Kiera Frame, Paul Katz, Charlie Konuszewski, Savannah Lowe, Max Magditch, Audrey Owen-Smith, Emma Skidmore, Amelia Shuggart, Tristan Snyder, Addi Streetman, and Daniel Xuereb.

Please enjoy these conference photos!