Equity and the Sugar Creek Imagination Fair

Can a student of color grow up to become a scientist? Or an author? Yes! Absolutely! And at Sugar Creek, we believe we have the responsibility and the opportunity to help make this a reality by looking at our actions and activities through an equity lens. This is, after all, our district mission: that “Every Student MUST Be Successful!”

After 2012, our staff and PTO came together to talk about this serious concern and developed plans to help remove barriers to participation in order to create an equitable playing field for ALL students at Sugar Creek. We continue to revisit and refine our plans each year.

• We gave the event a new and exciting name to inspire participation: The Imagination Fair.
• We began to use a variety of communication tools to inform families about the Imagination Fair.
• We began to have an Imagination Fair all-school kick-off, which includes a video in Spanish and English by our Fifth-grade students or by teachers at a Community Gathering.
• Our PTO created easy-to-use online information, ideas, resources and registration forms.
• PTO reps and students have spoken to classes to encourage participation.
• All Science Fair participants are provided with a free display board.
• All participants get T-shirts and certificates.
• Transportation is provided.
• Teachers actively encouraged student participation.
• Teachers are often touching upon the Science Fair time during science classes and/or connecting writing projects directly to the Author Fair.
• We have an all-school preview opportunity, where students now show off their work to the rest of the school during the day of the Imagination Fair. We have found this has been inspirational to ALL students!
• Our PTO has organized optional workdays for students who want in-school help with their projects. Students from VAHS volunteer to guide and motivate our students!