DOOL-ing it at the 7th Summer Institute
In 2025, our Designing Our Own Learning (DOOL) program has extended its transformative impact with our summer institute held at Talley High School. We now serve students and educators at 75% of the middle schools in the Renton School District – Dimmitt, McKnight, and Risdon!
DOOL brings students and teachers together to catalyze youth voice and co-create projects that foster a more equitable and student-driven experience at schools. By centering the voices of those least heard within schools, we are building the sort of inclusive, connected communities that are at the heart of healthy societies.
As one student shared, “I’ve changed during and after DOOL—I felt like I had no voice until I did this program. Now I know I can make an impact—and I had fun!”
While DOOL transforms students, it also supports educators as teachers and learners. In post-surveys, 100% of educators who participated in the 2025 DOOL Institute agreed it “transformed their approach to teaching—empowering them to amplify youth voices and practice shared power in their classrooms.”
“DOOL has always been a powerful grounding force for me. It reminds me that young people are agents of change — and that there are other adults who want to make positive change happen as well.”
— Long-time DOOL Educator
Beyond schools, DOOL influences the broader education field. Youth-led workshops at conferences and town halls—including the 2025 Bridge Conference—received strong feedback. One participant shared that they learned “what an equitable and balanced youth/adult community can look like and feel like.” Another gained “new strategies for authentic student involvement,” while a third shared, “I will go back to my job rejuvenated, excited and inspired,” and “strive to create community where youth can feel empowered to make change and be themselves.”