Action Plans

Action Plans

The Action Plan is how ideas are put into motion. Student teams, armed with the knowledge and inspiration they’ve gained at the Institute, will develop and implement their Action Plans over the next several months.


The Zakim Award

As part of the INSPIRE: Massachusetts Youth Leadership Institute, we are proud to present the Zakim Award, which honors student teams that develop and implement exceptional action plans aimed at creating social change in their schools and communities. Named in memory of civil rights leader Lenny Zakim, this award celebrates innovative ideas, collaborative efforts, and measurable impact.
 

Eligibility and Criteria

All student teams participating in the INSPIRE program are eligible to compete for the Zakim Award. Winning teams will be recognized for:

  • Innovation: Creative and forward-thinking approaches to addressing community challenges.

  • Collaboration: Strong teamwork and partnerships both within the school and the broader community.

  • Impact: Measurable results that demonstrate meaningful change and progress toward the team’s goals.


Key Dates

  • Action Plan Submission: Friday, January 31, 2025

  • Team Harmony Representative Assigned: Friday, February 7, 2025

  • Action Plan Results Due: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

  • Zakim Award Winners Announced: Friday, May 23, 2025

Winning teams will be celebrated for their contributions to building stronger, more inclusive communities, just as Lenny Zakim envisioned. The award offers recognition for the incredible work of young leaders committed to making a difference.

Winning Action Plan Examples

  • "Equity Matters"

    Springfield HS, Churchill HS, and South Eugene HS Oregon  

    Students have shared their experience in Tulsa and their 17-minute documentary video with school boards in both Springfield and Eugene. They also presented it to a student Town Hall event based on racial equity as well as a workshop in Portland, OR. They did this by invitation because several educators saw one of their presentations and were very impressed.

  • "The Future Is Now”

    Beaver Country Day School, MA 

    In January 2024, 100 Middle School students attended Beaver’s annual Middle School Social Justice Retreat where they learned and reflected on their identities, their interactions with a diverse society, and their role in the creation of a more safe, just, and accessible world for all. This year’s theme - Create THE Future - called MS students to seek a deeper understanding of the injustices experienced by so many and think about how their actions today can reshape our futures to be more inclusive and for human rights to be accessible to everyone. Tulsa students attended as mentors and leaders in workshop spaces. They supported outside workshop facilitators and MS students throughout the day. Many reported that it was a transformational experience for them. 

  • "No Place for Hate" 

    Claremont Academy, Worcester, MA 

    The students' goal is to reach the broader community through social media, spreading a message of love, kindness and racial equity. They have created a social media campaign @ourstrive4change on Instagram. Each member of the group has actively promoted the page throughout their community. They have 182 followers and have posted 55 times.