SGORR
Student Group on Race Relations
The Student Group on Race Relations (SGORR) is an organization of diverse high school students in the Shaker Heights Schools that promotes positive social relations across all boundaries of difference. SGORR students are trained to facilitate discussions of diversity with Shaker’s fourth and sixth grade students, and they teach intervention activities that lead to investigations of stereotyping, discrimination, social polarization and bullying. In addition to visiting elementary school classrooms, SGORR students also implement diversity workshops by request with adult and groups in the greater Cleveland community.
Over the course of three classroom visits, SGORR students teach interactive, hands-on activities and lead discussions with elementary students on the following themes:
- Trust, risk, and support
- Communication
- Peer pressure
- Self-image
- Perception
- Making healthy choices
- Stereotyping and polarization
- Group problem-solving
- Bullying
- Becoming an upstander
SGORR's Student-Centered Structure
SGORR is a “train-the-trainer” dissemination program, and each of the twenty student “core” leaders of SGORR trains a diverse team of ten to fifteen peers. During core meetings, student leaders facilitate and teach activities that foster a discussion of diversity, creative problem solving, peer pressure and bullying. The core leaders then teach these facilitation skills and activities to their team members in weekly team meetings and lead the teams in presenting workshops in Shaker’s fourth and sixth grade classrooms.
Students are at the center of every aspect of SGORR; students create new curriculum for the classrooms, maintain membership lists, facilitate community workshops, plan and execute SGORR’s annual membership meeting and the all-SGORR meeting, and manage the creation of our annual publication, The Vernacular. Therefore, SGORR provides a wide array of leadership opportunities for high school students and allows them to work collaboratively on projects of their own design.
Classroom Visits & Curriculum
Over the course of three visits to Shaker’s fourth and sixth grade classrooms, SGORR aims to create an awareness of prejudices, teaches young students to identify problems caused by peer pressure, and introduces a multi-stepped approach to creative problem solving. In recent years, SGORR has also placed a special emphasis on equipping elementary students with the skills to combat bullying.
Community Outreach
In addition to our work in Shaker’s elementary classrooms, SGORR members also organize and facilitate workshops with other school districts and community organizations by request. These workshops are tailored to the needs and interests of the community group, and themes range from bullying to facilitation skills.
Teacher Testimonials
Read what teachers are saying below:
“The SGORR members had complete control over a class that can become very silly and disruptive. The day was planned well and well-organized. I believe most students learned something new from the activities and discussions.” – 6th Grade Teacher
“The day was organized and activities flowed seamlessly from one thing to the next. All the SGORR participants were sincere, focused, and kind in their interactions with my students.” – 4th Grade Teacher
“The leadership of the SGORR team was outstanding! The team was very organized and engaging!” – 6th Grade Teacher
Community Feedback
Read what community members say:
“Thank you for such a well-polished workshop. I was very impressed with the students’ knowledge and presentation skills. The students learned a lot.” – Open Doors After School Enrichment Program
“Your workshop with us was wonderful. You led your team, well, and each team member was so poised, mature, astute, compassionate, intelligent, and aware. The way that the SGORR leaders engaged the group was memorable and impactful. The way that the SGORR members led the Take a Stand exercise was so masterful, creative and professional. There was a lot of sharing and listening going on. And, I know from my daughter, that she really enjoyed the exercises through which you led her and the other younger children. You all were and are impressive and have impressed many people who partook in the workshop. Thank you so much for coming to Forest Hill Church and working your magic with us.” – Forest Hills Church Presbyterian
sgorr workshops
If you would like SGORR to visit your school or organization for a student-led diversity workshop, please contact SGORR Advisor Will Warren at warren_w@shaker.org or 216-295-4387.
Our History
SGORR was initiated in 1983 by a group of concerned Shaker Heights High School students. When founding teachers Marcia Jaffe and Zachary Green met with this small cohort of students, their goal was to create a space in which interracial friendships would be celebrated and maintained. These SGORR pioneers noted with disappointment the disintegration of diverse friendships as students entered their middle school years and sought to change this trend by educating elementary school students about race and human relations. Over the years, SGORR has grown from a group of fewer than fifteen students to a membership of over 250, the largest student club at Shaker Heights High School. Though the faces have changed and many students have come and gone, SGORR’s mission has remained constant: to celebrate and teach about diversity and human connections across all boundaries of difference.