According to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs, 83% of Americans find divisiveness in the political climate to be an issue in today’s society. As a momentary relief from the divisiveness that has emerged, a program known as One Small Step was created, and in the spring of 2021, Maggie Walker became one of the first two schools in the nation to participate. Developed by a team of researchers and scientists at StoryCorps, One Small Step is based on the hypothesis of contact theory, or the idea that two differing groups can find equal ground through varying ways of exposure with each other, including conversation. The program aims to bring together people of various backgrounds and beliefs, so that they might share a conversation—not simply about differing political views, but also about their life experiences.

Ms. Wendy DeGroat, Maggie Walker’s librarian of fifteen years and a long standing member of the school community, found herself intrigued by One Small Step and soon intended to try the program for herself. Enlightened by her experience, DeGroat contacted StoryCorps with the intent of bringing a form of the program to Maggie Walker in order to “disrupt the tensions” she had observed in the school as a result of political differences. After witnessing various instances of students treating others with disrespect and forgetting that other students have an “inherent worth and dignity,” DeGroat came to believe that One Small Step would have the capability to amend these issues.

Thus, One Small Step was introduced to Maggie Walker in 2021 as a program in which students would have the opportunity to converse with someone of differing political views and, in the process, earn up to six community service hours. The program was divided into various sections, including three 35-minute workshops where the student would be given the chance to talk with other students as well as close friends or family members of differing beliefs. Following each workshop, those participating would also be given the chance to reflect on their conversation. One Small Step proved to be a success for every student who responded to the feedback form, noting that they were happy they decided to participate. Now, One Small Step is being implemented into the school community in a variety of other ways, such as a listening workshop in Maggie Walker’s very own FIRC speech class. This program will undoubtedly continue to expand in the future as a means of providing ways for students to form new connections with each other.