| | | | | Dear Friend, This season always brings a moment to pause, and this year that pause feels especially meaningful as Pollyanna celebrates its 10th Anniversary. When I look back, I’m struck by how many times light has shown through in unexpected places. Sometimes it was in a room of students speaking honestly. Sometimes it was in a trustee willing to ask a hard question. Sometimes it was in a school committing to a new way forward. In a world that can feel heavy, our shared commitment to Building Stronger and Kinder Communities remains a source of hope. Thank you for the time, heart, and belief you bring to this work. Your support makes our mission possible and allows us to work with under-resourced schools. If you are able to make a year-end gift, we would be deeply grateful. Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season. I’m proud to be in this work with you and excited for what we will create together in the year ahead. | |  | | | | | Is Your State Represented? Is Your School? Schools from across the country — from the Northeast to the Southwest, from the Midwest to the Pacific — are heading to Minneapolis this January to shape the future of education together. Pollyanna’s first National Conference will bring state-by-state voices into one powerful room where ideas become action and action becomes impact. If your state isn’t represented yet, this is the time to change that. Only a handful of spots remain. Register now and make sure your school is part of this national movement toward Building Stronger and Kinder Communities. | | | | Empowering Students Through Community Engagement & Service Learning Join Samantha Hosein on December 9 on Zoom and learn how to design service learning projects that inspire student leadership and civic responsibility. Through real-world examples and interactive activities, this workshop will help educators integrate social justice, reflection, and community impact into student learning experiences. Sign up for the 2025-26 Workshop Series. The rest of this school year is filled with incredible educators covering important topics. Join us! | | | | | | Teen Council Meet-Up on December 14 Students will explore free expression, censorship, and their rights in schools, guided by the National Coalition Against Censorship’s Student Advocates for Speech. This session will equip students with tools to speak confidently, navigate challenges, and advocate for their voices in their school community. Led by our incredible teen leaders and supported by Pollyanna’s dedicated adults, the Council is a space for discovery, leadership, and connection. Fill out this short form if you’re 13 to 18 years old and interested in attending this year. | | | | | | Pollyanna Young Leaders is Launched We’re thrilled to announce the launch of Pollyanna Young Leaders (PYL) a new community of 25–35-year-olds dedicated to Building Stronger and Kinder Communities. As part of our 10th Anniversary celebration, we’re inviting young professionals to join our founding New York cohort. Together, we’ll connect, learn, serve, and shape the future of a national nonprofit committed to equity and belonging. Ready to lead the next decade of kindness in action? Add your name to this form and we’ll be in touch. | | | | | | | | | | Far Brook's 10th Annual Conference It was an extraordinary day that began with a panel of administrators — expertly moderated by Rosetta Lee — reflecting on their schools’ work, progress, and continued commitment to creating inclusive learning communities. From constituent discussions to a powerful student presentation, the day built meaningful school-based POD sessions, where teams created action plans to guide their next steps. Thank you to the Far Brook community and especially Amy Ziebarth and Mikki Murphy for a decade of dedication and partnership. | | | | | | City and Country Cultivates a Culture of Dignity Pollyanna has partnered with City and Country School in NY to offer a dynamic professional-learning series exploring what science and history reveal about cultivating and sustaining a culture of dignity—one in which every community member feels seen, heard, and valued. Our facilitators – Jason Craige Harris, Cara Raich and Naledi Semela – examine barriers that have challenged school communities and provides strategies to overcome them, including awareness-building, skilled bystander intervention, and tools for repairing breakdowns. | | | | | | Strategenius Looks Forward Strategenius hosted a fascinating evening of conversation and connection. The highlight was hearing Caroline Blackwell share her perspective on the future of DEI in independent schools. Insightful, grounded, and deeply needed. Casper Caldarola enjoyed joining this community event for the conversations and connections. | | | | | | | | | | | | HackBAC 2026 Join HackBAC for two social justice-oriented design thinking hackathons for students in grades 8–12. - The West Coast event (March 20–22 in San Mateo, CA) focuses on "Visionaries – Forging Tomorrow's World Today," featuring keynote speakers Liza Talusan, author of The Identity-Conscious Educator, and Olatunde Sobomehin, co-author of Creative Hustle and founder of StreetCode Academy.
- The East Coast event (April 10–12 at Montclair Kimberley Academy, NJ) centers on "Civic Catalysts: Cultivating Justice & Designing an Equitable Future for All," with keynote Anthony Ray Hinton, Equal Justice Initiative Community Educator and the 152nd person exonerated from death row since 1983.
At both events, students will work in cross-school teams, receive mentorship and prototyping support, and compete for up to $1,000 in prize money. While created as an affinity space for BIPOC students, HackBAC welcomes all young visionaries committed to social justice work. Students must register through their schools with adult chaperones by February 2, 2026. Contact Delonte Egwuatu (degwuatu@bcdschool.org). | | | | | | | | “The people at Pollyanna come from such a genuine space. They are the real deal. The more people Pollyanna can work with – schools, health care, and corporations – the better.” Annie Mendelsohn, CEO, Center for Comprehensive Health Practice | | | | A FINAL THOUGHT “You don't have to be a perfect person to make a difference. You just have to care." José Andrés | | | | | | | | | | | | | Pollyanna, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation 501(c)(3). © 2025 Pollyanna | New York, NY 10075 | | | | | | | |
