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For decades, the Rowland Hall debate team has been a force on the local and national scenes. Now, they’ve gone global. 

This October, the top teams from the squad headed to Asia for their first international tournament at the Taipei American School (TAS). There, they faced off against teams from China, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam, as well as some of their peers from other top debate schools in the United States. Rowland Hall’s selection to participate was partly due to the Advanced Research Debate class’s involvement last year in the International Public Policy Forum global essay contest. 

“Our goal with that contest was to get our scholarship out to a larger audience, and share the research with other teams,” said debate coach Mike Shackelford. “We did not imagine that it would end up taking us halfway around the world for such an amazing opportunity.”
 

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The opportunity comes at a time when Policy debate, before now a uniquely American speech and debate event, is taking its place on the global stage. Each year, the World Schools Debating Championships holds a tournament involving teams from 70 countries that’s gaining prominence, and, as a result, more international tournaments are being planned. Mike wants Rowland Hall to be among the first American schools to embrace the trend. 

We value the national debate community because it is a larger network of gifted students and strong debate teams. And now that the community is global we want to be a part of that too.—Mike Shackelford, debate coach

“We value the national debate community because it is a larger network of gifted students and strong debate teams,” he said. “And now that the community is global we want to be a part of that too.” 

The eight AR Debate students chosen to compete in Taipei all jumped at what they saw as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The style of the tournament and the topic being debated (intellectual property rights) were familiar to all of them, but the surroundings and the culture were a whole new experience. Being good hosts, TAS arranged for a number of uniquely local experiences for the teams, and parent chaperones June Chen and Renee Utgaard arranged additional day trips outside the city. The students experienced the natural beauty of the Shifen Waterfall, participated in an authentic tea ceremony in the town of Jiufen, ate countless dumplings and miles of noodles at night markets, and took in the view from the top of Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world at 1,667 feet.

For 12th grader Aiden Gandhi, the experience of exploring the city and immersing himself in the culture greatly enriched his learning. “Being there with my team was an amazing experience and one that will definitely stick with me,” he said.

While the team took time to play, they were nothing but business when it came to the competition. They were able to close out part of the bracket, sending Isabella Utgaard and Chloe Vezina into the semi-finals, and the team of Eli Hatton and Aiden Gandhi into the finals. They finished with the second-place trophy, and Eli and Aiden appreciated the lessons learned from debating in Taiwan, and the widening of their debate circles. 

“The sense of community is amazing,” said Eli. “We dedicate so much time to this activity, and it’s amazing to meet others who do as well. We have a connection to them that we don’t have with other people.” 

I’m really hoping this becomes a regular thing. It’s not just the opportunity to travel and see new places, but also to see the expansion of debate and the new perspectives that it brings.—Chloe Vezina, class of 2027

Every member of the team agrees that the trip would not have happened, or been as memorable, without Mike’s leadership and support. Rowland Hall’s debate coach for 17 years, Mike has worked tirelessly to promote scholarship and research practices in the event and foster not just champions but learners for life. 

He’s also a lot of fun. 

“He was really into getting out of his comfort zone and encouraging us to do the same,” said 10th grader Emery Lieberman. “It didn’t matter what we did, seeing the ocean or having an eating competition at the beef noodle festival, Mike wanted to make sure it was special.” 

The team sees this is just the start of Rowland Hall’s time on the international stage, and is excited to see what comes next.

“I’m really hoping this becomes a regular thing,” said sophomore Chloe Vezina. “It’s not just the opportunity to travel and see new places, but also to see the expansion of debate and the new perspectives that it brings.”

Debate

Students are not the only learners at Rowland Hall. Every day, teachers are finding new ways to practice their craft and make education more impactful and resonant to the children in their classrooms. And this fall, in Tiya Karaus’s second-grade classroom, that meant starting small. As small as a bug.

The study of insects has been part of the second-grade curriculum for decades. The students learn about the anatomy, the biology, and the ecological impact of various bugs. This year, though, Tiya partnered with music teacher Susan Swidnicki to add a creative layer to the lessons.

“Working together allows us to try new methods and get feedback in real time,” Tiya said. “It makes it easier to put ideas into practice and refine and iterate on them through constant check-ins with each other.”
 

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Before starting, the pair came up with a number of ideas of how the unit could be structured and how to make the lessons as cross-curricular as possible through the addition of music, movement, creative writing, and more. “We were looking for ways to put more child-friendly creativity into the day,” Susan said. “We wanted to do something that would engage the children and add meaning for them.”

It started with the basics, as it has in years past. The students learned the biological and anatomical features of insects, worked bugs into their math problems, and read both fiction and non-fiction books on the subject. Then, on Fridays, a new layer was added: they took all of their knowledge and set it to music.

“We usually didn’t have a set plan in place; we wanted to let the kids lead and then help them build upon it,” Tiya said. “That feeling of creation at the moment allowed us and the students to find and learn unexpected things.”

During the Friday sessions, the students would explore their knowledge of insects by creating dances that turned them into honeybees, and by playing instruments that helped turn stories into songs.

The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board.—Tiya Karaus, second-grade teacher

“The music tells us certain points in the story. It’s hard to forget when you are listening to the music,” said second grader Ember H. “It’s really hard at first but it gets easier and easier.”

The kids did more than expand their knowledge of insects. Allowing the children greater freedom to be self-directed required them to use and improve social and collaborative skills. Without a teacher as the central focus, the students had to regulate their own behaviors more closely. Listening and finding compromises became much more important.

“We got to do special things,” said William J. “We acted out The Very Clumsy Click Beetle and we all worked together to make the songs.”

The lessons learned on Friday went beyond the walls of the music room and into everyday classroom activities. “The creative exploration of insects led to the students seeing things differently across the board,” said Tiya. “They’re becoming more open to exploring new ideas and finding different ways to express themselves.”

Susan sees it as the children embracing their potential. “The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important,” she said. “By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.”

The child is a whole child. They are an artist and musician and a dancer and a creator and a reader and a mathematician and scientist, and they are all equally important. By putting the academic and the creative together, they learn those different aspects shouldn’t be isolated and compartmentalized.—Susan Swidnicki, McCarthey Campus music teacher

The partnership between Tiya and Susan will continue for the rest of the year with an exploration of the Great Salt Lake and a study of native Utah animals. This continued collaboration is a great benefit for the students, and also a benefit for them as both work to improve their pedagogy, even as veteran teachers.

“I’ve brought that musicality back to my classroom,” said Tiya, and it can be used for more than just lessons. “Using rhythms and movement with the kids is so much more comfortable and effective than asking for their attention in more traditionally used ways.”

“I am constantly finding ways to integrate the academic curriculum into music classes,” added Susan. “Whether it’s incorporating a book into a lesson or bringing in other subject matter, there is always a way to find that bridge.”

Teachers at Rowland Hall are preparing students to go out into an ever-changing world. By being lifelong learners, and embracing collaboration, they are teaching not only through instruction but also by example. These are the lessons Tiya hopes her students will carry with them long after they have forgotten which bugs have zero wings and which have four.

“I want them to remember the importance of working together,” she said. “And I want them to look for ways to learn, in any way they can.”

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Watch the second graders perform their original skit, “The Very Impatient Honey Bee”:

Academics

As a person who’s always wanted to work with kids and mentor other educators, it seems only natural that alumna Harper Lundquist ’16 would end up in a position like director of SummerWorks.

A Rowland Hall Lifer (she attended from 4PreK through 12th grade), Harper got to know the school’s day camp program when she was hired as a counselor for summer 2016. That season, she discovered a fondness for SummerWorks, and she chose to return as a counselor, then a program lead, every summer while attending the University of Utah. She loved the continued connection to her alma mater and, as an elementary education major, that the program allowed her to work with kids and hone her educational and teaching skills under the expertise of the program’s then director, Beth Ott, and assistant director, Alec Baden.

“I learned so much from them that helped me not only as a counselor, but during my time in the classroom as well,” said Harper.
 

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Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support.—Jennifer Blake, associate head of school

After graduating from the U, Harper taught fourth grade at Plymouth Elementary, where she’d done her student teaching. But during her second year at the school, she recognized that kicking off a full-time teaching career during a pandemic was burning her out, so she decided to take a breather from the classroom. She continued to work with children as a part-time tutor and in various roles at Rowland Hall, including equity and inclusion intern. It was while in this role that she learned Rowland Hall was looking for a new SummerWorks director.

While many of Harper’s coworkers, who knew her history with the program, encouraged her to apply, she remembers feeling nervous about pursuing the directorship. She worried she didn’t have enough experience. But after conversations with trusted colleagues, Harper realized that the value of her SummerWorks knowledge could benefit the program, and that she could build other skills as she went. She decided to apply, and when she was named director in January 2024, Harper quickly learned that her experience was indeed the asset the program needed.

“Harper's long history at SummerWorks was invaluable in her approach to planning and iterating for the summer of 2024,” said Associate Head of School Jennifer Blake, who met with Harper weekly to plan for the season and said Harper’s deep knowledge of SummerWorks enabled her to jump into that planning without missing a beat. “She had experience working with the last three directors of the program and had ideas about what was worth keeping, shoring up, or creating, and she did all of that work thoughtfully and inclusively.”

And as a former counselor and program lead herself, Harper can relate to her counselors, allowing her to build a close-knit team. Like her own SummerWorks directors, she focuses on helping her staff grow as teachers and mentors. She’s also pulling from her other experiences as a Rowland Hall team member in shaping the future of SummerWorks. This includes her time as equity and inclusion intern, where—under the guidance of Dr. Chandani Patel, whom Harper called a trusted mentor who models diligent and thorough work—she learned to think about DEI in all aspects of the school, and where her confidence and courage grew. She continuously taps into these qualities and experiences in her new role to further benefit SummerWorks—and is already making an impact.

“Harper’s positive, can-do attitude, her care for every student, and her appreciation of the SummerWorks program has been a joy to watch and support,” said Jennifer.

We recently sat down with Harper to chat about her first summer as program director and what she’s looking forward to in summer 2025.

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What appealed to you about becoming SummerWorks director?

I have a lot of fond memories from working at SummerWorks, and I realized that for my career I wanted to work with kids and be able to teach and mentor others to work with kids, so this seemed like an amazing opportunity that combined both of these things.

What are you most proud of from your first summer as director?

I am most proud of the amazing team of folks I got to work with—I couldn’t have done it without them! From the admin team to the counselors, we all worked well together.

What did you learn about yourself this summer?

I learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for (I tend to be my biggest critic). I think we all have moments of imposter syndrome, and I had these feelings come up throughout the summer. I also learned that I can delegate tasks better than I thought I could—I was worried about that initially!

What do you want others to know about making the move to a higher-level position (especially if they, too, may be dealing with imposter syndrome)?

I think we can talk ourselves out of applying for something new when we don’t meet all the requirements. When I was contemplating whether to apply or not, I asked Ryan Hoglund for advice and he helped me understand that meeting 60% to 70% of a job description is totally fine—the employer knows you’ll need to learn some tasks on the job and will grow into the role. My advice is, if you’re interested, go for it! Who knows where it’ll take you? Even if you don’t get it, you’ll have valuable interview experience. It’s a win-win situation.

I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks.—Harper Lundquist ’16

What do you want people to know about SummerWorks that they may not already be aware of?

A question I get asked a lot is if SummerWorks is just for Rowland Hall students, and no, it’s not. We have students from all over! We have even had families join us from out of state and internationally. Our camp welcomes kids from ages four through 13, and we have wonderful counselors who are enthusiastic and excited for each day.

What do you look forward to doing with the program in the future?

I have several ideas that I would love to implement in the program that I didn’t have a chance to do last year. I got lots of helpful feedback and suggestions from campers, families, and staff. I would love to offer a wider range of special activities that special instructors would lead.

Why is summer camp important, and what does it mean to you to bring this kind of experience to kids?

I believe summer camp allows kids to be kids and have fun. Our philosophy at SummerWorks is that kids build curiosity, confidence, and character. SummerWorks is a fast-paced environment that always keeps you busy and guessing, and it always makes my day when I get to check in on age groups and chat with the campers. I love to see kids having fun, but it’s the best to see when kids are anxious or shy on their first day of camp and make new friends by the end of the week, or are nervous to try something new and discover that they love it! I love that kids get to have these experiences at SummerWorks. 

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 Interested in SummerWorks? Visit the camp website to learn more about the program, and keep an eye out for announcements—registration will open in early 2025.

   Alumni

When Kavitha Kasturi walked into her first Student Diversity Leadership Conference in 2022, it was the first time she had been in a space in which most people belonged to historically underrepresented groups.

“The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging,” said Kavitha.

The first moment you step into a room with thousands of kids from diverse backgrounds, it’s a different feeling—a great feeling, an immediate feeling of belonging.—Kavitha Kasturi, class of 2025

Held every year during the week after Thanksgiving, the Student Diversity Leadership Conference brings together student and adult representatives from independent schools across the US and abroad. Organized by the National Association of Independent Schools, SDLC takes place alongside the organization’s People of Color Conference. Both gatherings provide opportunities to self-reflect, connect with others, and learn how to build inclusive, equitable, and just classrooms and communities.

Because Rowland Hall believes in the importance of these conferences and the benefits they bring to the school community, every year the school pays to send a group of faculty and staff, as well as six Upper School students, to them. Each year, these representatives leave SDLC and PoCC inspired and excited to share what they learned with their community at Rowland Hall.

As in years past, when the 2023 SDLC wrapped, the student representatives—then juniors Kavitha Kasturi, Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Sylvia Rae Twahirwa, and Evan Weinstein, and then 10th grader Gavin Schmidt—were looking forward to sharing their experience back at school. But the group, some of whom were repeat conference attendees, also felt a pull to think bigger.
 

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That’s because the students knew, as of 2023, Rowland Hall was the only Utah independent school that attended SDLC—meaning very few students in the state benefit from the four-day experience. While they’d be sharing what they learned with their Upper School peers, they worried it was too small an impact. They wondered if there was a way to expand their reach. As the Rowland Hall representatives gathered for a debriefing on the last day of the conference, an exciting idea was floated: Could the students create their own SDLC-inspired conference for other Utah high schoolers?

It’s the kind of idea that could easily be shared then forgotten, but in the weeks following their return to campus, the SDLC group—along with then junior Hasan Rahim, who had attended SDLC in 2022, and then ninth grader Aoife Canning—kept the conversation going. Guided by advisors Dr. Kate Taylor, Dr. Chandani Patel, and Harper Lundquist ’16, the students began discussing all that actually goes into planning a conference, as well as what elements of SDLC they wanted to keep and what they thought was missing from the experience. Dr. Taylor wasn’t surprised by what she witnessed.

“This group happens to be very action-oriented, which is something I love about them,” she said. “They’re big visionary thinkers.”

And before they knew it, these visionaries’ questions had transformed into a solid plan. By January, they were working on what would soon be known as Wings of Inclusion: Cultivating Joy in Education, a first-of-its-kind student-led conference scheduled for Friday, September 6, and Saturday, September 7, at the Lincoln Street Campus.

In the months that followed, the students immersed themselves in the complicated world of event planning. Between classes and extracurriculars, and then during summer break, the group tackled a long to-do list: design a logo and marketing plan, craft a schedule, communicate with speakers and performers, extend invitations, identify facilitators, arrange catering, decide on activities, gather discussion questions. In line with priority 2 of Rowland Hall’s strategic vision, advisors were on hand for guidance as needed, but focused on empowering the students to make decisions and take the lead as much as possible.

As summer drew to a close and a new school year ramped up, the group put the finishing touches on their conference and prepared to welcome students from Wasatch Academy, the Waterford School, Copper Hills High School, and Olympus High School to campus.

The Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with a space of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others.

Guided by the theme of Cultivating Joy in Education (which builds on Rowland Hall’s 2024–2025 school-wide theme, Joy, and was inspired in part by a presentation the students heard from Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Unearthing Joy), the Wings of Inclusion conference aimed to provide attendees with the kind of space Kavitha remembered walking into for her first SDLC—one of belonging and safety, where everyone is celebrated for who they are and can connect, and even be vulnerable, with others. The schedule, thoughtfully crafted by the student organizers, included space for both affinity groups (groups that share identities) and family groups (groups of randomly mixed participants), as well as unstructured social time, meals, and performances by Punjabi Arts Academy, Salt Lake Capoeira, and Best of Africa.

The students also scheduled three guest speakers: Stacy Bernal, a candidate for Utah State Senate; Michelle Mooney, impact manager for the Salt Lake City Mayor’s Office; and Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal, vice president for diversity, equity, and student success at American Association of Colleges and Universities, and a Rowland Hall trustee. “Our main goal was to show there are people of color or other diverse identities in positions of power,” said organizer Sylvia Rae. They hoped student attendees would see themselves in these community leaders, and that the speakers’ stories about their personal and professional journeys would help attendees understand that leadership and changemaking were within their reach.

And while the conference’s attendees certainly had an impressive group of adults at the event to look up to (in addition to the speakers, Ryan Hoglund, Robin Hori, Dr. Lydia Jackson, Dr. Nate Kogan, and Stacia McFadden served as conference facilitators, while advisors Dr. Patel and Kaleb Nielsen coordinated the program), the strongest role models of the weekend were the student organizers themselves. In addition to managing the flow of the event, these students all took on the facilitation roles that make breakout spaces safe and provide valuable, joyful experiences for attendees, some of whom may feel unwelcome in other communities.

“There’s definitely a nurturing role, a caretaking role,” said Sylvia Rae about being a facilitator. “You’re bigger than yourself at that moment: ‘I’m facilitating this conversation and it's not about me now; it’s about others.’”

And though the Wings of Inclusion turnout was smaller than the students originally hoped for (30 people attended the inaugural conference), the size turned out to be beneficial. It allowed facilitators to lead deeper conversations and for all attendees to more fully participate. “It was the perfect amount of people,” reflected Sylvia Rae.

Speaker Michelle Mooney, who stayed for a breakout session after addressing the group on Saturday morning, said watching the student facilitators lead their groups was heartwarming, and even reinvigorated her feelings about her own role in the community—particularly when it comes to empowering rising leaders. Though still in her 20s, Michelle said she’s already thinking about the legacy she’ll leave for the next generation to carry on, and she hopes more professionals will recognize the capabilities of students and young adults and help cultivate them as leaders.

“We don’t need to doubt that the youth know what to do, and we really need to empower our youth to feel like they have a place,” said Michelle.

And as Wings of Inclusion showed, when students are empowered, they can do incredible things. As the conference wound down on Saturday evening, a feeling of joy could be felt on campus—an attestation of the small-but-mighty power of this student-created gathering that, only nine months earlier, had been but a question, a dream of a space in which students from across the state could gather to pour strength, love, and inspiration into one another.

To close the event, the organizers gathered the group for an open mic session. Though they knew speaking in front of others is scary, and they were a bit worried the minutes may be filled with silence, they wanted to provide a moment of reflection for attendees. They didn’t wait long before one student stood up. Another followed. Then another. As each student came to the mic, they shared their gratitude for this welcoming conference, for this safe space in which they could share their experiences and be themselves. Some said they had never had this kind of opportunity before. Some called out the guest speakers who made them feel that they, too, can make a difference. They were grateful. They were inspirational. “It was the best moment of the conference for me and my peers,” said Kavitha.

They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power.—Dr. Kate Taylor, Upper School English teacher

For Dr. Taylor, who supported the students’ dream from its earliest days, the positive feedback the students have received is incredibly well-deserved. And, perhaps more importantly, it’s an ongoing reminder to these leaders that they are never too young to make real change.

“They felt so good for having created a space for people in the broader community, to see their efforts can have a positive impact, that their voices, their actions, have power,” said Dr. Taylor.

And the organizers can know that the inaugural (and soon to be annual) Wings of Inclusion conference will play an important role in helping more young adults from across the state believe in themselves and their ability to make a difference.

“Little things like this really matter. It made an impact,” said Kavitha. “It’s inspiring, and it made me want to keep going.”

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Banner: Rowland Hall seniors Tenzin Sivukpa, Mattie Sullivan, Evan Weinstein, Kavitha Kasturi, Hasan Rahim, and Sylvia Rae Twahirwa smile for a photo at the 2024 Wings of Inclusion Conference.

Equity & Inclusion