For many years, John Dewey High School traditionally hosted a College Fair where college representatives came to give students insight into various universities.
However, this year, in 2025, the Dewey Legacy Project, led by Mr. Personette, made a bold decision to shift the format: the College Fair would largely be organized by Dewey students themselves.
This change allowed students to present information about select colleges to their peers, offering a unique perspective from students, who did research about the universities.
According to Mr. Personette, this new approach not only fosters a more relatable and engaging experience, but also empowers Dewey students to take on leadership roles in guiding their classmates through the college selection process.
Prior to the student-led college fair, over 40 colleges and universities offered Dewey Legacy Project students the chance to interact with representatives who provided resources, answered questions, engaged in open discussions about their institutions as well as individual research.
“The goal was for students to not just present the ‘pros’ of each college, but also to dig into what might be less obvious—the things the representatives might not mention,” said Mr. Personette. “This way, it became a more authentic and relatable experience for everyone involved.”
By empowering students to take leadership roles in guiding their peers through the college selection process, the event not only fostered engagement but also encouraged deeper exploration and discussion.
“Students were more invested in the process because they were the ones doing the research and presenting the facts. It gave them a sense of ownership,” Mr. Personette added.
Jayden Cookhorne, a student presenter for the Dewey Legacy Project, described his experience: “Presenting at the College Fair was rewarding because I got to share knowledge and help fellow students make decisions about their future,” he said. “It also gave me a chance to take the lead, rather than just observe, giving me more valuable insight and experience in public speaking and communication,” Cookhorne added.
Although the college fair brings fresh experiences for Dewey students in giving them leadership opportunities, some student attendees felt there was room for improvement in future student-led events.
Senior Yvonne Jiang said, “Overall, the experience is alright, student presenters provided basic info students need to know about universities. However, some information is somewhat vague, since students can access similar information through the internet.”