Last spring, Newtown Allies For Change (NAFC) hosted the fifth consecutive award for Allies In Education. This year, NAFC asked educators across Newtown Public Schools District to submit requests for classroom books that support the group’s mission of anti-racism.

NAFC believes that when students are exposed to educational materials promoting diversity, inclusion, equity, and anti-racism, they begin to understand one another better and start to build a more unified community. Participants were asked to submit their requests along with a statement answering why diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is important to them.

This year, all three book recipients are educators at Newtown High School (NHS). Susan McConnell, teacher of Early College Experience Public Health, as well as Honors and AP Biology and Principles of Biomedical Engineering, received Systemic: How Racism Is Making Us Ill by Layla Liverpool.

McConnell stated that “social determinants of health, such as income, education, housing, environment, and access to healthcare, can create significant barriers for some individuals and communities ... and DEI work helps identify and address systemic inequities." She added that she expects the book will “support important discussions around racial justice, health equity, and the impact of systemic bias in medicine and public health.”

Miki Theodosiou describes herself as “a teacher of the smallest minority group in [NHS]." An English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher, she is the recipient of Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh. Theodosiou explained that it can be challenging to find engaging books for her students because “reading materials that high school language learners can successfully interact with are often written for much younger audiences.”

She finds that books which “focus on topics and social issues that are meaningful to students, such as cultural acceptance, social barriers, family challenges, and integration” are particularly helpful. Theodosiou’s goal as a teacher is “not only to teach language, but also to raise awareness among students and colleagues about the importance of emotional and cultural intelligence.”

Former NHS teacher of Architecture and Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Erik Holst-Grubbe sought for his students to “see themselves in the curriculum.” NAFC espouses the belief that representation of BIPOC is imperative throughout society in order to achieve equity and a sense of belonging.

Upon reading Holst-Grubbe’s Allies in Education entry, board member Wendy Leon-Gambetta was struck by how this simple concept can positively affect a child.

“Imagine going through your K-12 years and rarely, if ever, seeing story characters or historical figures who look like you. Now consider how powerful it is to see yourself — and thus your human potential — in those characters and figures,” she said.

Holst-Grubbe was awarded architect Melvin L. Mitchell’s book, African American Architects: Embracing Culture and Building Urban Communities. School librarian Liza Zandonella accepted the book on his behalf.

Local business Social Decor has generously donated to all five of the Allies in Education awards and was the sole sponsor this year. It is a lighting and fabric design company that specializes in tented events, including corporate functions, weddings, and celebrations. Newtown Allies For Change is an unfunded grassroots organization that depends on donors for everything it does.