8th Grade EB Empowerment Summit
The 8th Grade Emergent Bilingual Empowerment Summit is an annual event hosted by Spring ISD's Multilingual Department. It aims to provide all 8th grade EB students in our district with information, resources & motivation to exit the ESL program and transition to high school successfully. Additionally, we aim to decrease the number of long term ELs and increase the graduation rate of our EB students.
EB Empowerment Summit F.A.Q.s
How long does each Empowerment Summit last?
Each summit lasts between 90 minutes to two hours.
What information is covered during the Empowerment Summits?
The first 15 - 45 minutes are dedicated to informing students about TELPAS tips, high school pathways and endorsements, high school attendance and graduation requirements, and more. This part of the presentation is usually delivered by the Spring ISD Middle School Development Specialist team alongside a counselor and/or a campus administrator.
The second 45 - 75 minutes are dedicated to a motivational speaker, student speaker, reflection activities, and raffling prizes to attendees!
What resources were used during the Summits?
The resources used during the 8th Grade EB Empowerment Summits can be found here.
How many students attended the Empowerment Summits?
In the 2021 - 2022 school year, we had a little over 600 8th grade student attendees across Spring's nine middle schools.
Were you able to collect feedback from attendees?
Yes. Students at 6 out of 9 campuses completed an exit survey at the conclusion of each campus' Summit, and the responses were overwhelmingly positive! Results can be viewed here. However, the number of responses are limited due to technology and internet limitations on Summit days.
Additionally, 8 out of 9 EB Campus Contacts completed a feedback survey (second tab at the bottom) on glows, grows and suggestions for improvement.
Can Summits be held virtually?
Yes, but we've found that hosting summits in-person tends to be more engaging and impactful.
Can other grade levels also have an EB Empowerment Summit?
Of course! While we only hosted Empowerment Summits for 8th graders in the most recent school year, we believe that all EB students can benefit from grade and age appropriate information that will help them be successful in school and beyond. We are considering expanding summits to other middle school grade levels and rising 6th graders in the near future!