A major outcome of the community circles has been the successful effort of conducting study circles for Schenectady County high school and middle school students. Organizers and school Superintendents in the seven Schenectady County school districts determined that it was important for "Racism Race Relations" study circles to occur across district lines among students from different schools and backgrounds.

High School Study Circles: Every December (since 2000) high school students from the public schools in Schenectady County converge on the Union College campus for two days of study circles. More than 750 students from seven districts have participated in study circles to date. Since December 2004, students from Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons, Schenectady Christian School and home-schooled students are invited to participate, as well. Student study circles are led by student facilitators who have been participants in at least one previous study circle program and have had six hours of facilitator training. The study circle discussions conclude with an "Action Forum" at the end of the second day when students from each school meet together to develop an action plan to carry out in their individual schools to improve race relations and to better understand diversity.

Middle School Study Circles: At the strong urging of high school study circle participants, the program was expanded to the middle school level in 2002. Over 300 middle school students from ten middle schools representing the different school districts in Schenectady County have participated in study circles using a modified curriculum developed by a committee of SCED members and middle school staff from participating schools. These study circles are led by adult facilitators (SCED volunteers) who also undergo special facilitator training. Middle School Study circles are held on 1 1/2 days in the fall at the General Electric Energy Systems Learning Center in Niskayuna, NY. And, as in the high school program, at the conclusion of the discussion segment of the program, the participants from each school meet together to draw up a proposed action plan to take back to their schools.

Action Outcomes: These are just a few of the actions students considered carrying out when they return to their home schools: Having a culture fest with foods, music, crafts and dance from all over the world and involving parents and other schools Forming a Study Circle Club to meet monthly and undertake a different culture project, each time Having a "Diversity" bulletin board Holding a "Mix it Up" lunch when students who don't ordinarily know or sit together at lunch are "mixed up" in the cafeteria for one day Making a diversity mural to celebrate the different ethnic backgrounds of the school population Holding an ethnic food event to introduce each other to different cultural backgrounds

SCED Youth Programs Presented at National Conference: In October 2005, SCED was invited to attend the National Conference of the Study Circle Resource Center held in Northbrook, Illinois. Brian Wright, SCED Steering Committee member, Lesley Adewunmi, Niskayuna High School student and participant and facilitator in the SCED High School Study Circle program and Kay Ackerman, SCED Administrator were community presenters in the workshop, Students Speak Up and Take Action to Break Down Barriers. They shared organizational experiences and stories about the SCED youth programs. Many communities across the country have youth programs but few have programs that bring students together from all the county high (or middle) schools for study circles.