Connection is Key to Student Engagement!
In this collaborative blog series, TEAMBOOST asked leaders in the youth development field how they build student connection in their program environments. Healthy and authentic relationships are important to positive youth outcomes, and TEAMBOOST is proud to spotlight the expertise of our BOOST Leadership Team Members, BOOST Ambassadors, and BOOST Partners in the Student Connection blog series!
Welcome, Richmond Brown (He, Him, His), to center stage! Thank you, Richmond, for sharing your experience with current and future generations of youth development professionals. We appreciate you!
A Conversation about Student Connection and Cultivating Strong Relationships with our BOOST Partner and Ambassador, Richmond Brown (He/Him/His)
Richmond is the Associate Director of Programs for Woodcraft Rangers in Los Angeles, CA, and is a proud BOOST Ambassador with BOOST Collaborative.
How do you ensure all staff/students are valued and represented in your programs?
It is important to represent staff to remind them that they are valued and valuable to our programs day-to-day. In my role, I ensure that my team is celebrated with small wins (in and outside of work). I also present them with small tokens of appreciation such as thank you cards, and items that show my appreciation for their hard work each day guiding our teams.
What’s the most memorable or funny moment you’ve had while working with students?
Thinking back on the most memorable and funny moment that I can remember while working with kids would be back when I would host Winter Break or Spring Break programming and would have the entire school building to myself – I would turn the whole building into an obstacle course for the students. The obstacle course would start from the cafeteria: relay races, boogie boards going down the hallway, and kids laughing and cheering with music in the background. One year, I won’t forget the students requesting that my Co-Site Coordinator and I do the course and compete… and you know, we did! We had the greatest time and when kids see adults having fun, it helps them know that joy does not stop when you get older!
What’s your go-to activity or game when you want to engage students and get them excited?
My go-to activity is the get-to-know-you ball toss game. It’s my go-to because I am able to really connect with my students and learn not just students’ names, but their favorite colors and a fun thing about them. So when you get the ball, you state your name, favorite color, and something you like (Me: Richmond, Red, Singing). The next person would repeat “Richmond, Red, Singing”, and then say their name (Insert name here, color, and hobby). The next person would say the previous 2 names and then add theirs until the ball got back to me, to be able to say everyone’s name, favorite color, and their hobbies. Kids would get excited when they could remember everyone and better yet, when I would remember everyone, too!
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received from a student?
“Keep being you, you make the program fun!” Those were the words of a student during my first month in a leadership position, as I was doing some revamping to elevate the program.
How do you involve your students in the planning process?
When I involve students in the planning process, I let them get creative. From hosting meetings to collecting their ideas, from giving them roles to being a part of the execution of the planning. I will never forget when I let my students host our “Lights On Afterschool” event with the staff and how much fun the students had. The smiles continued as the parents and the students saw their peers on stage, not only hosting but performing as well.
How do you show gratitude and love to your students?
As someone who would travel often, I would always bring students a “thought of you” token when I saw something that would brighten their day. I would also always make sure I wrote my students thank you cards, anytime they would draw me pictures. As my way of showing gratitude, I would post the pictures behind my door, and when they would come into my office they would see I had their pictures from years past.
What impact do you hope to leave on the students you work with?
I’m hopeful that the impact I leave on students that I’ve worked with is for them to be their authentic selves, to truly believe in their goals, and not stop there! Don’t let people tell you what you can’t do, but show them everything that you are capable of!
What learning opportunities do you personally participate in in order to remain relevant and up-to-date on issues impacting your students?
Continued reading, continued conversations, and connecting with students to hear from them.
If you don’t work directly with students, what do you do to ensure that decisions made by your organization or by you personally will positively impact them?
I lead with a focus of “Take care of the people, taking care of the people, that take care of the little people.” Knowing that every decision I make will make some type of impact on students or those who take care of students, I always make sure to do what I can do to make it positive. I advocate and always speak up.
Any advice for those who presently work with students in the field?
What I would offer to those who presently work with students in the field would be something that I would tell my team on difficult days or days when we didn’t feel like the Rock Stars we are… “Remember why you started!” and “Because you started, there is a purpose.” Let those worlds center you every day you enter a school building or program!
Today for breakfast I had…
French Toast Bagel with Cream Cheese with a homemade Berry Smoothie
From all of us here at TEAMBOOST, thank you, Richmond, for your leadership. We are grateful for your positive impact on youth, communities, and the field!