As educators know, a hungry child is not set up for learning. But hunger is not just a classroom issue—it’s a structural one.

Many of us have our go-to activities for the beginning of the school year that help us get to know the new students in our classrooms and start building community. Being mindful of the way we introduce these activities to students can make a big difference in making them feel welcome and accepted.

It is never too late to learn about No. 2 Construction Battalion, also known as the Black Battalion. In the First World War, when so many brave young people enlisted to fight, there were many Black men who wanted to join, but many were denied because of racism from commanding officers.

You’ve likely seen the infamous scene of Coach Carr delivering the sexual health lesson from the film Mean Girls. The coach says, “Don’t have sex; you will get chlamydia and die.”