Empowering Students to Speak Up with Upstander Training  

2023-2024 School Year Grant:  $2,500  

At Hosmer Elementary School, Principal Moulton noticed something critical: while students instinctively recognized when something was “wrong,” they struggled to know how to respond in a meaningful way. With the challenges of early adolescence and peer dynamics, especially in today’s age of social media, Principal Moulton realized the need for a program that would equip students with the tools and language to navigate these complex situations. 

That’s when she turned to the Watertown Community Foundation (WCF), hoping to secure funding for a training program that would empower students to speak up for themselves and others. At the Foundation, we believe in the power of investing in our youth, ensuring they have the support to grow into strong, engaged community members. Seeing the potential of Principal Moulton’s vision, the WCF grants committee awarded her a $2,500 grant for Upstander Training, to be provided to all Hosmer 4th and 5th grade students. 

Together with Dr. Daly from the Watertown Public Schools Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), Principal Moulton identified a dynamic program to pilot at Hosmer, with the hope to expand it district-wide. The chosen initiative, led by Dr. Rayna Briceno Minor from the wellness organization Who’s Got Morale?, focused on teaching students how to recognize injustice and respond effectively, using strategies and language that encourage active bystander intervention. 

Thanks to funding from the Watertown Community Foundation and support from the Watertown Public Schools’ DEIB office, all 183 Hosmer 4th and 5th graders participated in a two-part training: a grade-level assembly followed by smaller breakout sessions to practice real-world strategies for addressing unjust behavior. Teachers and staff have already reported the program’s lasting impact, noting that students now feel empowered to speak out in challenging social situations.  

The success of the pilot at Hosmer led to the decision to expand the program to all three Watertown elementary schools, ensuring every student will be equipped with these essential skills before entering middle school. During a recent district-led focus group, several parents shared how last year's Upstander Training helped their children navigate difficult situations with greater confidence and parents of incoming middle school students supported implementing this new program.

Thanks to the success of this initiative, the Watertown School District has fully integrated Upstander Training into its budget, ensuring that this invaluable program continues to support future generations of Watertown students. The Watertown Community Foundation is proud to have provided the initial funding to help bring this vision to life, empowering Watertown’s youth to be agents of positive change in their social ecosystems.