To meet its mission1, Dwight-Englewood School aims to help students develop skills that will  stand them in good stead academically, socially, and globally. Young people are coming of age  at a challenging time that is too often defined by polarization, misunderstanding, and rare  cooperation across differences. In this climate, deliberation – the act of careful consideration  and measured decision-making – is more essential than ever.

To begin cultivating a culture of deliberation, Dwight-Englewood School is partnering with the  Close Up Foundation, an education advocacy organization that seeks to help young people find  their voice while developing the skills and awarenesses to be engaged citizens. Following a  compelling experience at the inaugural NAIS Student Civic Leadership Summit in Washington,  DC in January 2025 organized by Close Up, the Dwight-Englewood School cohort of students  and adults were inspired to bring their learning and practice back to school. This desire has  grown into a strategy and plan to focus on deliberation as an essential skill for the D-E student  to develop. 

Ahead of the 2024 American Presidential Election, significant effort and care was invested in  preparing students (and adults) for understanding the multi-faceted electoral process in the  United States alongside the accompanying sociopolitical dynamics. That work (a type of phase  zero) lays a foundation for the School to lean into deliberation as a skill and tool for constructive  citizenship – in schools, local communities, and the world. 

In school year 2025/2026 (phase one), Dwight-Englewood School will focus efforts on  introducing the art and science of deliberation to the full Upper School community with an eye  toward transforming Advisories into sites of regular deliberation. To begin, Upper School  students will participate in a Day of Deliberative Dialogue that will be facilitated by their peers  and supported by adult advisors. This signature initiative sets the stage for a robust cadre of  students, supported by adult advisors, to be trained as dialogue facilitators, and to utilize those  skills for guiding a deliberative dialogue experience amongst their peers. The Day of  Deliberative Dialogue in November 2025 will help prepare students to practice deliberation  regularly in Advisories ahead.