Diversity at WA

Friday, October 2nd, 2009
by Board of Visitors

How do students at WA define diversity?

“Worcester Academy’s diversity lies within the multiplicity of identities that enhance the educational environmental and enrich the social climate.”

How The Board of Visitors Experienced Diversity at WA

Tom Roddenbery’76 “when I was here diversity was accidental, but now diversity at WA seems to be institutionalized.

Office of Diversity and Community Relations

From classroom curriculum to WA clubs to workshops, conferences, and community service, the members of the diversity club at WA have truly emodied not only the understanding of what diversity is but also what their role in spreading diversity is. Among these students the biggest theme was with understanding comes acceptance. These students see their responsibility as educating themselves and their peers about different cultures, genders, ages, sexual preferences, and socioeconomic conditions.

Attracting a Diverse Student Body

At WA students come from not only all over the country, but also from all over the world. For residential students, sharing a bedroom with a student who lives thousands of miles away,allows students like Tucker, Ben, and Khanh to learn, accept, and teach other cultures. Yet diversity is not only found in the languages, races, and cultures or WA students. The Middle School allows for students of different ages to interact as well. As Ginger’15 points out, “Although the sports teams do not combine students from the upper and lower school, the assemblies allow students from different to interact. This year as a new 6th grader, I was walked into my first assembly by the lifers.” WA students tackle diversity without fear.

John Hope Fellow (Joseph Pye)

Through a rigorous process, administration actively seeks to include teachers of color. Through stimulating discussion, Mr. Pye, WA’s current fellow actively engages students. The usual classroom experience will not be found in Mr. Pye’s class. Instead, his style of teaching allowed as they learned about The Catcher and the Rye. His age and the fact that he is African American brings another dimension into the classroom that may not be found elsewhere.

“What is the phrase that Mr. Pye hates”…the students respond, “I don’t know!”

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