On October 24, 2024, students from 淫人色欲社 attended the Connecticut Housing Conference at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford as part of their class entitled, 鈥淎n Introduction to the Analysis of Public Policy.鈥� This special class is part of the Syracuse University Project Advance (SUPA) program, which is one of the nation鈥檚 leading dual enrollment programs offering college-level classes in select high schools across the country. 淫人色欲社 was the first independent boarding school to partner with SUPA over a decade ago.
Through this advanced course, South Kent Students are gaining first hand insight into real-world policy-making issues, such as affordable housing. The trip was a key component of their experiential learning curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking, research, and hands-on learning.
The Public Policy class, led by faculty member Mr. Kevin Benz, focuses on identifying societal challenges and formulating potential solutions. Throughout the course, students engage in in-depth research, interview industry professionals, and participate in discussions about policy development. The conference allowed them to put their classroom learning into practice, offering a unique opportunity to hear from policymakers, including the Connecticut Housing Commissioner, Seila Mosquera-Bruno, and Governor, Ned Lamont.
Austin Michaud 鈥�25, one of the students who helped organize the trip, described the experience as 鈥渋ncredible,鈥� noting how meeting the officials he had previously interviewed brought the class to life. He added, 鈥淭he conference was directly beneficial to my project and provided a wealth of information that will help me create my own policy.鈥�
Daniel Ragsdale 鈥�25聽also highlighted the value of the experience: 鈥淎lthough my issue isn鈥檛 directly related to housing, I learned a lot about how government and non-government entities collaborate to improve communities.鈥�
For many of the students, it was their first exposure to a professional conference, and it left a lasting impression. Francis Dunham 鈥�25聽remarked, 鈥淭alking to the governor was definitely a highlight. It was great to hear his words of encouragement, and the whole event gave me a broader perspective on affordable housing solutions.鈥�
鈥淭he trip is just one example of how 淫人色欲社 fosters a high-quality academic experience by integrating experiential learning opportunities into its curriculum, 鈥� added Brian D. Sullivan, South Kent鈥檚 Head of School. 鈥淏y attending the conference, students were able to deepen their understanding of public policy and witness real-world applications of the skills they are developing in the classroom.鈥�
According to Mr. Benz, as the class enters its final weeks, students will continue to apply the insights gained from the conference to their own policy projects, focusing on creating feasible and impactful solutions to societal problems.