Jayse Heer-Matonovich, along with her faculty mentor Dr. Will Garrett-Petts and community partner Principal Jonathan Brady, had the amazing opportunity to present Project EDI, which focuses on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within secondary schools, at the Hawaii International Conference on Education. Through an engaging oral presentation and hands-on workshop, they explored the project’s methodology of cultural mapping and its potential to foster inclusive environments in education. This was not only an academic presentation but also a chance to create meaningful, interactive conversations with educators from around the world.
For Jayse, a second-year student, this experience was especially rewarding. It was an extraordinary opportunity to engage with an international community of educators and researchers who are passionate about making a positive impact in the world of education. Connecting with diverse voices and exchanging ideas about creating a more equitable and inclusive educational system was both inspiring and empowering. As a young student, Jayse contributed fresh insights and found it incredibly validating to see her perspective valued in such an important global conversation.
This experience demonstrated the power of knowledge mobilization—the ability to take research and ideas and use them to start conversations that lead to real, positive change. It served as a reminder that change doesn’t happen in isolation; it’s built through collaboration, shared knowledge, and action.
A special thanks to Thompson Rivers University for supporting this important work and providing the resources that made this experience possible!
