11/5/2024
By John Bishop
GROTON, Mass. – Lawrence Academy recently hosted the 3rd Annual Independent School League (ISL) Changemakers Conference, bringing together student-athletes and educators from ISL schools for a day of learning, growth, and community building.
The special event, held on Indigenous Peoples' Day, featured speeches, workshops, and interactive discussions designed to inspire leadership and social responsibility among students.
"I am proud to be part of a league that values diversity and inclusion and is committed to investing time and effort in its students' leaders," said ISL Executive Secretary Bobbie Crump-Burbank (who in 2023 retired as Athletic Director from Brooks School after 38 years). "It is exciting to watch a program that was just an idea four years ago become a yearly reality that schools are eager to lead and participate in."
In the conference’s keynote moment, LA's Jaime Schulze captivated attendees with personal insights from her career as a high-level athlete in the ISL and collegiate soccer. Interviewed by Eden Jones '25 and Dean of Students, Equity, and Campus Life Dennis Canty, Schulze held court in the Richardson-Mees Performing Arts Center (RMPAC), and emphasized the role of athletes as leaders both on and off the field.
"The 2024 ISL Changemakers conference was a huge success," said Ms. Schulze, who joined Lawrence Academy in 2017, and currently serves as the Assistant Dean of Students, Director of Equity and Belonging, as well as girls' varsity soccer assistant coach. "Seeing students across the ISL come together and work towards a common cause was incredibly rewarding for me.
"Having it at Lawrence Academy made it that much more special," added Jaime.
Beyond the opening moments in the RMPAC, the day included a series of workshops, affinity spaces, and accountability groups, many led by Lawrence Academy faculty and students. Participants discussed topics such as equity, inclusion, and the importance of community engagement, fostering collaboration and dialogue across schools.
"it's always amazing, but never surprising, that when asked to reflect on how to improve team culture that our students can readily and easily describe the ways in which they can contribute to these efforts," said Mr. Canty. "Our students are clearly 'changemakers' in every sense of the word: committed to advancing equity for all students on and off the field/court/pitch."
The Changemakers Conference, envisioned by Melissa Lawlor, Upper School Director of Equity and Inclusion at Milton Academy, was established as a platform to empower students in the ISL. A former three-sport college athlete, Lawlor saw the potential of student-athletes to drive positive change in their communities and worked with colleagues to launch the event three years ago.
Lawrence Academy staff and students played an essential role in making the event a success. Special thanks were extended to Director of Campus Safety & Security Frank Mastrangelo and the Buildings & Grounds team led by Carl Anderson for managing logistics, the Flik dining team for catering, and an enthusiastic group of Spartan student volunteers who welcomed guests.
"For one day, we got to put our ISL rivalries aside and be one team working towards the goal of equity and inclusivity for our communities," said Associate Head of School Raquel Majeski. "It is beautiful and we are so grateful to be a part of this."
"It is particularly fun to see athletes who are adversaries in competition find common ground and friendship while doing this critical work," added Ms. Crump-Burbank. "I look forward to being at Tabor Academy [for the 2025 conference] next fall."
