Kent Place Welcomes Monique Vogelsang for Assemblies on Storytelling, Belonging, and Growth

Kent Place’s Middle and Upper Schools, in partnership with the Community Life and Well-Being Office, recently welcomed Monique Vogelsang to campus for two assemblies, both centered on identity, belonging, and the power of the stories we tell.

The first, for the Middle and Upper School, was titled The Stories We Tell, and was anchored in the themes of belonging and the holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through personal storytelling, Monique invited students into reflection and connection, beginning with stories from her own upbringing in a large, multiracial family and weaving them together with moments from history and the wider world.

Students were encouraged to think critically about how they tell their own stories, how they listen to the stories of others, and how those narratives shape the communities they build together. Drawing on wisdom she acquired as a student herself, Monique reminded students of the importance of recognizing our shared humanity and also honoring what makes each of us unique.

Building on those themes, Monique returned to campus for the Middle School assembly, More Than a Snapshot: Expanding the Human Story. With the legacy of Dr. King and the civil rights movement as her jumping-off point, she talked about empathy, growth, and the importance of seeing people — historically and within our own community — as more than a single moment, mistake, or snapshot.

The assembly highlighted Dr. King’s life, civil rights, and stories from everyday life to help students consider how meaningful change — whether in history or in their own hallways — begins with small, intentional choices. Understanding deepens over time, she told them, and even small acts of empathy can create a ripple effect