In the summer of 2020, while most of the country was in isolation due to COVID-19, St. Louis Park Public Schools launched its first Youth Data Analyst (YDA) summer internship cohort in the Department of Assessment, Research and Evaluation (ARE) under the leadership of Dr. Silvy Lafayette. Thanks to initial funding from the Voss Family Foundation, the ARE department was able to hire six high school interns. These interns spent seven weeks studying the school district’s quantitative and qualitative data, reading academic research, and reflecting on their own lived experience as SLP high school students. Members of the ARE team taught research methods and facilitated the learning. 

During this process, the summer 2020 YDA interns identified a research question and collaborated with each other to develop a study about an issue that mattered to them. The question they identified was: 

• How can we get more students of color into honors, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Gifted and Talented courses? 
• Why aren’t students of color already in these advanced classes? 

At least 300 high school students were surveyed, and the interns conducted semi-structured interviews with nearly 60 high school students. The interns presented their research project to over 100 staff members from leadership teams across the district on Zoom, and their findings shaped many school goals that year. This process, which began by centering the brilliance of our students, continues to be an important and unique aspect of the continuous improvement planning process in St. Louis Park Public Schools. 

Over the next four years, 28 more high school students have been a part of the YDA program. 

• 2020 Research
  • How can we get more students of color into honors, AP, IB and Gifted and Talented courses?
  • Why aren't students of color already in these advanced classes?
  • Interns: Alma Beaton, Adam Elmi, Ezra Hudson, Li Livdahl, Danny Shope, Helen Tefera
• 2021 Research
  • How does the SLP discipline system affect students?
  • What are students’ experiences?
  • What role does the staff play?
  • Interns: Muna Abdullahi, Adam Gips, Alivia Oliver, Faheem Sheikh, Manny Shetaye, Maryan Yassin
• 2022 Research
  • Are we living up to our community's hopes and dreams?
  • Interns: Amira Abdirahman, Andre Barajas, Sy'Mora Blue, Erek Bogucki, Charlotte Cox, Jordan Greene, Zahur Mahamed, Eliyas Mohamed
• 2023 Research
  • How have teacher-student relationships impacted students' experience at St. Louis Park Public Schools since 2020? 
  • Interns: Jaiden Leary, Alicia Mainjeni, Ford Marciniak, Estrella Ochoa, Anya Panday
• 2024 Research
  • What are academic interventions?
  • Based on our data and our lived experiences, where do we need intervention in SLP?
  • Interns: Yasmin Abdullahi, Nafisa Bireh, Mirabella Bogucki, Jillian Dixon, Kylie Kaiser, Otoha Masaki, Sarah Peterson, Evan Scott, Mariya Tefera

An Example of Academic Rigor in SLP 

YDA’s model is inspired by Dr. Lafayette’s experience with undergraduate research programs at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. The program is framed by a course syllabus that includes the study of education policy and academic research published by well-known scholars of color in the field of education. Students also learn about research methods and study the district’s various metrics. This syllabus is shared with all YDA families prior to interns beginning their work in June. Since the summer of 2022, Dr. Abby Rombalski from the University of Minnesota, along with undergraduate research assistants from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, University of Minnesota-Duluth and Howard University have facilitated the learning of interns.

Other key aspects of this summer internship program include: 

• building community
• sharing racial autobiographies
• reflective journal writing 
• presenting to stakeholders including university professors, district administrators, staff and families

Students Lead Beyond SLP

Over the years, YDA summer interns have been invited to lead breakout sessions at various conferences around the state and country. One notable conference is the University of Minnesota’s LEAD Conference. Hundreds of educators from around the state of Minnesota attend the University of Minnesota’s summer LEAD conference annually. Since receiving a standing ovation at YDA’s first LEAD conference presentation in 2022, the University of Minnesota’s conference organizers have continued to invite YDA students to lead a session year after year. 

Interested in joining the YDA 2025 Summer Cohort?

For the last two years, YDA has been largely funded by Carleton College’s AmeriCorps National Service and Civic Engagement Research grant. YDA will begin recruiting SLP HS students in April 2025 for its 6th cohort. Please contact Dr. Lafayette at lafayette.silvy@slpschools.org with any questions or interest in applying to the program.