Take a Stand: Project Soapbox Akron

(The photo above is Clarence Bucaro and Bella Olaya, left to right, sitting with Neenah Bell on the left.)

Clarence Bucaro stepped confidently onto the stage at Garfield CLC with his notepad in hand – and a ton of baggage in tow. With an audience that included school administrators, judicial dignitaries and his fellow students, the eighth-grade student abandoned perceived speech protocols with a poignant, gut-wrenching truth about his life.

There was no easing into his story -- no subtle, cutesy dance around his reality.

Bucaro’s speech during the Take a Stand: Project Soapbox Akron program this past Saturday was both riveting and emotional. The product of a splintered home spoke candidly about the sometimes-invisible, yet deep, wounds that haunt students of divorced and sometimes abusive parents.

“When I was seven, my parents decided to officially divorce,” said Bucaro, his voice booming inside the auditorium. “The court handled everything, including the custody regulations. I never had a choice.”

A seemingly supportive crowd embraced the unguarded message delivered by Bucaro, who attends Miller South School for Visual and Performing Arts. As he methodically maneuvered through an argument advocating independence and self-determination for students of divorced parents, the crowd escorted him across the finish line with polite nods of approval.

Bucaro’s three-minute speech achieved its desired result. Everyone listened and learned.

Bucaro was one of 10 Akron Public Schools eighth-graders selected to deliver speeches focusing on topics that impact most communities. The program, organized by APS’s social studies teachers in coordination with the Mikva Challenge, a Chicago-based non-profit, is designed to challenge students to present arguments on a variety of societal issues.

More than 40 APS students participated, including 12 Miller South students.

“Essentially, our work is to empower youth to learn democracy by doing democracy. Their teachers help them through our curriculum, and they choose an issue that they care about,” said Siobhan Hunter, the chief advancement officer for the Mikva Challenge, "whatever that may mean to them, what they care about most; and it affects them or their community.”

The students developed a speech through extensive research. They delivered their speeches before their classmates in an effort to hone their public speaking skills in preparation for the first district-wide Take a Stand showcase.

The students presented their topics before five separate groups, which included fellow students and teachers. The presenters were narrowed to 10 through a vote, allowing them the opportunity to speak before a crowd of nearly 200.

“The other piece of this is we have adult civic leaders come in, and they act as student voice champions,” Hunter said. “They gave them feedback and affirmation on their speeches because it is just as important for adults to be part of this process to hear what students have to say. It is important to put the speakers in front of other people so they can hear what they’re passionate about.”

Hunter’s non-profit organization will sponsor an event in Washington, D.C., in May. One student from each of its sites across the country — including Akron Public Schools – will have a chance to deliver a speech to a much larger audience.

“One of the main goals is to put the student at the center of learning, and that is why all these students participate in this in their class,” said Adam Motter, who serves as APS supervisor for both social studies and physical education. “This showcase brings in students from all the middle schools, and it is the first time we've ever done this.

“We've baked this (Mikva Challenge) into our curriculum in the eighth grade. The actual vision of social studies for Akron Public Schools is, when a student graduates, they should be able to look and see if there are challenges in their community, their state, their country, the world.”

It is why the students took on such critical issues as gun control, systemic racism, students’ rights and abortion.

Bella Olaya, a product of Miller South, watched as every speaker before her marched past the soapbox centered onstage. They all chose to stand behind a podium in an effort to calm their collective nerves.

Olaya jumped onto the soapbox without hesitation. She then stared into the attentive eyes of an audience that included former APS superintendent David James and Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio of Summit County Juvenile Court – both of whom volunteered as Student Voice Champions.

Olaya dared to address the controversial issue of abortion. While some seemed unnerved by her blunt assessment of how politics has impacted the issue, she passionately and unblinkingly advocated for women’s rights.

“I believe it is crucial for abortion to be put in place again to not only protect abortion rights but our rights of reproductive freedom,” Olaya said. “The 2024 election is based on so much more than just policies. We have a president who is absolutely against abortion rights.

“Perhaps the most devastating part of all this is that I have to stand up here today and hope everyone is listening and considering this carefully -- the fact that I feel the need to make an entire speech about a fundamental human right. I long for the day that society will trust women with their bodies.”

Neenah Bell, now in her 22nd year with APS, said Project Soapbox provides an opportunity for students to express and lift their voices. “We don't want to impede that. We want to encourage that, however we feel,” she said.

Motter, his voice trembling slightly, said of Olaya’s speech: “This is why we're doing this. Your words inspire others. You made factual points to back up your argument. The audience heard you, and we're listening.”

Motter and APS’s social studies teachers are encouraging all students to analyze and vet critical data and come to their own conclusions, yet be able to refute any counterclaims and do it all with civil discourse

“That is our vision and our goal for someone who graduates from Akron Public schools, from our socialized department,” Motter said. “It is aligned with the state's vision and the National Council for Social Studies. This process has students look at something they want to see changed in their community, then do something about it.

“We're super flexible about how all this works, which is attributable. One of the key stars in all of this is obviously the students and our eighth-grade social studies teachers, who built this whole process.”

Bell’s eighth-grade students were well represented – including two finalists, Bucaro and Olaya.

“They have a lot of inspirational energy that they bring to the table,” said Neenah Bell, who teaches social studies at Miller South. “I looked at that energy, and that is how I kind of determined which students felt strongly and passionately enough about that topic to want to come to the showcase.

‘I love being able to work with these eighth-graders as they're getting ready to become high schoolers and getting ready to make decisions in our society. I'm always talking to them through that lens of, you know, very soon you're going to be voting age.

“This project so far is a wonderful platform for these students,” Bell added. “This is what it means to be a citizen in our country… and to have a voice.”

Finalists in Take a Stand: Project Soapbox Akron

Josyln Little, Hyre CLC
Aizen Henry, I Promise School
Mason Dorsey, Innes CLC
Alayh Ward-Jones, NIHF STEM
Jarae Sadler, Bridges Learning Center
Gabrielle Rapp, NIHF STEM
Bella Olaya, Miller South
Clarence Bucaro, Miller South
Payton Hayes, Innes CLC
Serenity Whiteside, Litchfield CLC

About Abner Mikva

The Mikva Challenge, launched 25 years ago, is named in honor of Abner Mikva, who served in all three branches of the federal government. He was in the United States House of Representatives, a federal judge, a White House counsel for President Bill Clinton and a mentor to President Barack Obama during the early stages of his political career.

Jewel Burgan, David Popp, Beatrice Cogburn, Emily Sullivan, Social Studies Teacher Neenah Bell