SQUAD is kicking off for the year on October 30th!
Since SQUAD is an Ingenuity-affiliated club, many of you may have yet to hear of it or give it much thought. Here, I hope to answer some of your questions and help you decide whether or not SQUAD is the right fit for you!
What is SQUAD?
SQUAD was founded to help BIPOC students balance academic success with social wellbeing.
To do so, SQUAD provides members with the opportunity to:
- Access mentoring resources
- Make new friends
- Enjoy fun events
Black
Indigenous &
People
Of
Color
FAQs:
Is SQUAD only open to Ingenuity Students?
While SQUAD has only been open to Ingenuity students in the past, SQUAD is now welcoming all students.
Is SQUAD only open to BIPOC students?
While SQUAD is geared towards BIPOC students, non-BIPOC-identifying students will still be welcomed.
Where & when does SQUAD Meet?
SQUAD generally meets twice a month in room 335 during Parrot Time.
Why should I join?
Who better to help answer that question than the hardworking members of our committee:
Lavender Hall
Madison Drummond
Camille Coffee
Stephenie Providence
Jhamari England
Kayla Holly
Nimah Aime
Ellen Griffin
William Allen
Jazmine Green
Ms. Shani Ortiz
Leadership FAQs
Why did you join SQUAD?
SO: I created SQUAD 7 years ago to be a safe space for BIPOC students in Ingenuity, as they have unique experiences within the program. 9th and 10th graders, in particular, needed more community building and support from upperclassmen, who had shared those same experiences.
CC: I wanted a community within Ingenuity where I could feel safe and get advice from people who were in my position.
JE: In the beginning, I joined SQUAD because a lot of my friends went there for Parrot Time and I knew that it was related to the Ingenuity program.
NA: I joined SQUAD to connect with other Ingenuity students whom I shared similar experiences with and for the support and sense of community it provides.
What does SQUAD mean to you?
SO: SQUAD has always meant “family” to me. When SQUAD was at its best (pre-COVID) it was a soft place to fall for students…a place to be authentic, share experiences, have fun, and get additional academic and social support.
JG: A safe space to talk, discuss, and share about the POC experience at Poly.
JE: SQUAD is like a family, a cohort of people with similar ideas and passions that they want to share and explain.
NA: SQUAD means community. SQUAD is a place where Ingenuity students of color can connect and support each other and just have fun.
What is your favorite SQUAD memory?
SO: The pre-COVID Holiday party we had where a bunch of alums came back to visit and celebrate with us.
CC: The Mardi Gras party!
EG: The healthy boundary session in SY 2021-2022.
JE: My first time at a SQUAD meeting was actually unofficial. I saw my friends walking around with a lot of snacks and pizza and I wanted to know where they got it from. So, I walked into the room where SQUAD was being hosted and gained a little insight into what SQUAD was all about.
How has SQUAD helped you grow as a person?
SO: It has been incredibly rewarding to watch our students form connections that last beyond high school.
JG: It has helped me gain organization skills, leadership skills, and it has also made me more outgoing and talk to more people.
CC: SQUAD was a wonderful resource to have throughout my research practicum because the seniors were able to help and guide me. I don’t think I would’ve made it through research without their support.
EG: It has shown me that my identity as a POC in STEM is something to be aware of, and that
more support needs to be there to not only keep students of color supported in Ingenuity, but to improve accessibility to other students of color from different areas of Baltimore.
NA: Before joining SQUAD, I had difficulties with accepting myself in high-level STEM spaces. After joining SQUAD, I became a lot more comfortable seeing myself in those spaces. I also gained a growth mindset, which helped me to keep aiming high—resulting in me receiving an internship at NIH this past summer.
Fundraiser!!!
To help support SQUAD throughout the year, we are hosting our 1st annual Double Good fundraiser from October 30th – November 3rd!
- Download the Double Good App
- Join our fundraising event using the 6-letter event code ZXYQDK
- Create a Pop-Up Store and share it with your family and friends
Proceeds will go towards biweekly meetings, t-shirts, and more. As an incentive, the top 3 students will receive Amazon gift cards! Please join us in reaching our goal and help us fuel ambitions, one kernel at a time.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more updates!
