Amplifying Student Voice: A Journey of Connection, Challenge, and Change

Dr. Marnie Hazelton is a Worthy Educator, a leader in elevating student voice through her own powerful voice, and our June Champion of the month.

She is the Superintendent of the Englewood, New Jersey Public School District, where she is a role model and a champion for her students advocating for their needs and interests, pursuing their goals, and making a positive difference in their lives and in the life of the communities in which they live.

At the forefront of my leadership is a commitment to amplifying student voice. In my first year in Englewood, I found great success with a girls’ empowerment group I launched. One of the most rewarding moments was our advocacy day on Capitol Hill - a powerful experience that helped our young women recognize the strength in their stories.

In year two, I shifted my focus toward a more difficult but deeply important group: the most disengaged and challenging students in our district. I called them my "fragile students," while our Head of Security referred to them as “the 50 disrupters.” This group presented a real challenge - it was like pulling teeth just to get a “good morning” out of them.

Still, I made it a point to engage with them whenever possible. During afternoon dismissal, I would walk over, wish them a peaceful evening, and try cracking jokes (even if they usually fell flat). I couldn’t ignore the growing body of research on how young men are falling behind in academic performance compared to their female peers - and how their college attendance and completion rates are increasingly outpaced by young women. This trend is often accompanied by growing social isolation, hypermasculinity, and even risky behaviors like addiction to sports betting or excessive gaming.

These young men were disproportionately represented on our suspension lists, chronic absenteeism reports, and academic watch lists. What struck me most was how disconnected they seemed from the school community. In Englewood, we’re fortunate to have a diverse and vibrant student population - a beautiful tapestry of Black, white, Asian, Hispanic, and Pacific Islander students. I treasured the many conversations I had with students about culture, family, and their ambitions. But this group - this stubborn, silent group - shut me out.

Still, I refused to give up. Every day, I went out of my way to greet them, to offer an encouraging word, to just be present. Eventually, I decided to apply to bring My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) - a male mentorship initiative launched by President Obama after the tragic death of Trayvon Martin - to Englewood.

Having successfully launched MBK cohorts in two other districts, I knew firsthand the power of male mentorship and the importance of creating safe, affirming spaces where young men of color can be heard, seen, and supported. When we first invited students to join the new MBK cohort in Englewood, many were hesitant. Some even felt they were being singled out for punishment.

But we persisted. We recruited young men from the community who had once been mentees themselves, and even enlisted a respected school security guard to join as a volunteer mentor. We began hosting after-school meetups with food, open discussion, and - most importantly - no judgment. We built trust slowly, intentionally.

Then came the MBK Speaker Series - my idea to bring in one prominent male professional each month to speak to the group about their path to success. Our first guest was an Englewood native, now a record executive and owner of two Jersey Mike’s franchises. Since then, we’ve hosted DMC of Run-DMC, the mayor of Englewood, the CEO of a local AI tech company, and leaders from the Algebra Project.

The young men responded in powerful ways. Each speaker brought a story that resonated. We had mentees serve as interviewers for the guests and prepared them in advance. Local newspapers covered some of these events, and the joy on the students’ faces when they saw themselves in a positive light, in print, was indescribable.

As buy-in increased, I raised the bar. We hosted EmpoweredEd, a college and career fair presented by MBK, where the young men served as ambassadors. Dressed in custom blazers, they helped vendors set up, greeted guests, and managed the event flow. We had over 70 vendors from colleges and career tech programs to law enforcement, military branches, and local businesses. Afterward, we recorded testimonials from our mentees about the experience. “Heartwarming” doesn’t begin to capture it.

Now, those same students are asking for more opportunities to lead and participate in school life. Other students want to join. The girls are asking for a My Sister’s Keeper. MBK mentees have been invited to the Google campus in Manhattan and served as hosts at the grand opening of our new high school Cyber Café - an innovative space that includes a gaming station, 3D printing, drones, a Mac Mini lab, and flexible seating.

This journey has reinforced a powerful truth: we all want our voices to be heard. But before students can speak up, they must first feel seen. They must feel safe. They must trust that the adults around them believe in their worth.

And once they do? Their voices can move mountains.

 June is Communication Month at The Worthy Educator!

-------------------

Got something that needs to be heard? We'll get it said and read on the Worthy Educator blog! Email it to walter@theworthyeducator.com