Durham Academy's DEE team facilitates events and activities throughout the year to increase cultural awareness, sensitivity and knowledge with the purpose of preparing students to be successful members of a diverse society with global perspective. The DEE Director also works with academic leaders to ensure the school's curriculum includes a variety of voices and perspectives so that students can see positive reflections of themselves and others in the topics they are learning.
Assemblies, Author Visits, Celebrations, and Cultural / Religious Holidays
The DEE team works within each division to create grade-level appropriate special assemblies, displays, programs and meaningful remembrances for a variety of cultural celebrations. These special events include different heritage months and religious and cultural holidays. As with curricular efforts, the goal of these celebrations is to highlight the unique cultures, traditions, and beliefs that frame the rich history of our community.
Dia de los Muertos Altar Project
Each year, the main entrance to the Upper School’s STEM & Humanities Center sees the addition of brightly colored ofrendas, or altars, created by students to honor deceased scientists from a range of racial, ethnic backgrounds and gender identities. In the tradition of Día de los Muertos, students include photos and drawings of the honorees; details about their lives and contributions to science; and physical altar offerings that represent the scientists’ lives in some way.
Dragon Boat Races
Under the leadership of Upper School Mandarin teacher, Bonnie Wang, and captained by upper school librarian, Shannon Harris, DA fielded its first racing team in 2022. This yearly event is part of Triangle Area Asia Fest in Cary. DA’s twenty paddlers, with only two practice sessions, came in seventh in a field of 22 boats which included professional travel teams.
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year celebrations at DA started in 2021 in the Preschool and Lower School when the Upper School Chinese Club visited to perform and parade with a Chinese Dragon, a symbol of good luck, strength, health, and the male element Yang. Other activities include students reading good books and creating crafts and art projects connected to the celebration of Lunar New Year.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
Every year students are reminded of the impactful contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to our nation and the world. These observances can be divisional assemblies, whole-school celebrations, or community-wide service projects. Speakers include off-campus experts and guests as well as student or faculty led performances and talks.
Rise Against Hunger
Rise Against Hunger is an international organization that strives to reduce global hunger. DA’s Rise Against Hunger club works to support this goal through occasional drives in service of an annual MLK Day food packaging event organized in partnership with Rise Against Hunger.
Unity Day
Unity Day in the Preschool and Lower School is filled with special assemblies, art, fun, music, and the addition of parents and caregivers on campus to solidify school spirit and the understanding that we are a community where everyone belongs and contributes. Unity Day is also the kickoff for a yearly service project.
'What Matters to Me' Workshops
"What Matters to Me" workshops take place in the Upper School each spring during a half-day set aside for students to share their passions with their peers. With topics ranging from Bhangra dance to the diversity in lacrosse to a campaign to stop sexual assault, these student-led workshops provide an opportunity for dialogue and student-directed learning across grade levels.
Annual Student Conferences
Each year, the National Association of Independent Schools, brings together more than 2,000 independent high school students from around the nation for a unique conference experience. A diverse team of trained adult and college student facilitators lead participants through team building activities to help students more deeply appreciate their own identities, build effective cross-cultural communication skills all while networking with peers.
North Carolina Association of Independent Schools
In 2023, NCAIS began to include students in their annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference. In the first year open to students, Durham Academy students in the Crossing the Divide club led two sessions, one for students and one for faculty members, providing strategies for how to civilly discuss hot topics in class. This annual event will allow Durham Academy student leaders to share their expertise with students from across the state.
Triangle Diversity Alliance Conference
Durham Academy is part of a consortium of five local independent schools providing an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to affirm their identity, share perspectives and cultivate leadership skills. Each year, member schools take turns hosting a student conference that brings hundreds of middle and high school students from around the Triangle together to discuss topics of diversity, equity and inclusion.