At Alcuin, celebration does not look the same at every age, and that is by design.

In Upper Elementary, students recently shared presentations about Lunar New Year and Ramadan. They brought candy, coins, dates, slideshows, and stories. They answered questions from classmates who were curious. They explained traditions in their own words.

In Upper School, that same spirit of sharing takes a different shape. DICE, Alcuin’s student-led belonging organization, plans a year’s worth of advisory gatherings designed by students, for students. 

Last year’s student leaders chose to highlight Native American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, Learning Differences, and LGBTQ+ visibility. The direction came from listening; to classmates, to community, to lived experience. With faculty guidance, they created moments that helped students recognize both the richness of difference and the common threads that bind us.

They also participate in the Dallas Area Belonging Organization, where independent schools across DFW meet to host student-led workshops on belonging. This year's theme: self-worth and productivity, an honest look at how teenagers measure themselves in a world of pressure and distraction.

When DICE hosts an assembly, it is approached with care and discernment. Speakers and performers are thoughtfully chosen to ensure the experience meets students where they are developmentally and supports their growth as learners. These gatherings are designed to educate and expand perspective; not as announcements or political statements.

During Black History Month, students experienced music as history. More than just performance but context. They learned how African musical traditions influenced genres across continents. They heard about resilience, innovation, and joy. They saw how culture travels, transforms, and connects people across time and geography.

And then, in true IB fashion, they reflected.

After each assembly, students engage in structured reflection, considering what they learned, how their thinking shifted, and how the experience connects to the IB Learner Profile. Reflection is not an add-on. It is part of the learning cycle.

In Montessori classrooms, culture often begins at the personal level, sparked by a child’s curiosity and identity. In Upper School, students are developmentally ready to step into broader dialogue, to consider community, history, and systems. The method evolves. The intention does not.

At every level, the question is the same: How do we help students see both the uniqueness and the shared humanity in one another?

Belonging at Alcuin is not accidental. It is student-driven. It is mentored with care. It grows as students grow.

And when students are trusted to lead those conversations, something powerful happens: they do.