May 30, 2023 -- Imagine being a student in a large public high school and having the opportunity, every single month, to speak openly and honestly with the person who is arguably the most powerful in the entire school district: the superintendent. That’s the work of the Superintendent’s Cadre, a group of students who meet with Liz Kirby once each month to discuss a wide range of issues affecting themselves and their classmates.
The four Cadre members in the Class of 2023 have been meeting with the Superintendent since B.C., that long ago time known as “Before Covid” and they’ve been instrumental in addressing everything from student mental health to school climate to dress code. “Any big decision we’re facing from a district perspective, I bring it to them for their input,” said Superintendent Kirby.
The students take their roles as Cadre members seriously. “I felt honored,” said Ahmya Diggins, who will attend the Rochester Institute of Technology to become an American Sign Language interpreter. “I felt trusted to be picked out of so many students.”
Taylor Evans describes herself as “a nerd, a fashionista, someone who does cheerleading and robotics.” Because she is friends with so many different groups of students, she felt she was well-positioned to discuss issues with the Cadre. “I learned to be the voice for people who aren’t in the room,” said Taylor, who will study education at The Ohio State University next year.
The work Cadre does to prepare middle schoolers for the transition to 9th grade is a prime example of the positive and practical impact they can have. “Going to the middle schools and talking to the students, it really felt like we made a difference,” said Owen Bisker who will attend Case Western Reserve University in the fall. “It was a really big opportunity and a big honor to have that responsibility.”
Reflecting back on his freshman year at Heights, when he was not only moving into a bigger building with more students, he was switching from West Geauga to Cleveland Heights, Owen credits his own freshman orientation and how welcoming everyone was, from students to staff, with easing his transition. “It was proof to me that I’d made the right choice in coming here.”
Participating in Student Cadre helped Trinity Kimbro mature, grounding her and giving her focus. “When you go to high school, you’re thrown into this big environment and you don’t know what you want to be or do,” she said. But as a Cadre member, “I was representing everyone, so I really had to pay attention to my surroundings, to what others wanted and needed.”
She will be studying Communications and Public Relations next year at Loyola University of Chicago, a skill she honed in Cadre. “It really gave us a voice,” she said. “That’s an amazing opportunity.”
Superintendent Kirby is convinced that she gets as much from the Cadre as the students do. Beyond gaining valuable perspective and boots-on-the-ground feedback, “The relationships go both ways. This is one of the few opportunities I have every month where they fill my cup too.”
The group has inspired her to begin Superintendent Cadres at both middle schools and to roll out a peer mediation program at the high school. “I give them a voice and they keep me grounded,” she said.
These four senior stand-outs are all Heights Tigers through and through. As athletes, singers, artists, musicians, cheerleaders, and scholars, they embody the best of our school district. Taylor is “extremely grateful” to her teachers and administrators for the support they’ve given her both inside and outside of the building. She is especially proud of being named the national GEAR UP Student of the Year in 2021 by the National Council for Community and Education Partnerships.
Trinity knows she is ready for the demands of Loyola because Heights “is such a college readiness school. They prepare you so much.” She took advantage of the countless opportunities available in high school but really found her home in the Vocal Music Department.
Owen is happy to be attending college close to home because not only is Case his dream school, but “I can’t totally move on yet because of how much Heights has given to me.” He is definitely planning to come back and see his teachers, coaches and football teammates.
Ahmya admits that high school is never easy, especially for students who lived through the pandemic. But “Heights gave me the room and the opportunity to grow and find out who I want to be. It wasn’t just school and learning, it was real world relationships and friendships and learning how to cope.”
Like her classmates and fellow Cadre members, Ahmya feels “sad and excited” to graduate. And, what we can only hope all high schoolers feel as they finish their formal schooling: “ready to move forward."
