Capital Preparatory Magnet School - The Road to College begins at Capital Prep

Being a Trailblazer is NOT a spectator sport.

The Social Justice Project

Capital Preparatory Magnet School is a PreK-12 social justice-themed magnet school in Hartford Connecticut.  100% of our students receive acceptances to 4-year colleges and universities each year.  

Our senior capstone Social Justice Project (SJP) is the culmination of a student's academic career at Capital Prep.  A combination of literature review, action research, thesis paper, public speaking, and community outreach, the SJP prepares our students for the rigor of college and the challenges of being a trailblazer.

History of the Social Justice Conference

In 2016, Capital Prep held our first annual Social Justice Conference.  Students with outstanding projects shared their experiences, presented their findings, and competed for the honor of "distinction."  Community members and organizations were invited to celebrate our students' accomplishments.  A scholarship award was added in 2018.

Since then, our conference has grown to include keynote speakers such as DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes and educational revolutionary Dr. Steve Perry.  In the spirit of trailblazing, we provide a platform for advocacy groups including the National Conference for Community and Justice, PFLAG, Planned Parenthood, and Girls on the Run.  Capital Prep alumni return to share the impact that they are making in the community.  Our younger students present as well, honing their advocacy skills.

In 2020, Capital Prep seniors completed their Social Justice Projects.  However, due to Covid-19 we were unable to hold a live conference.  This past year, we were determined to highlight our students of distinction.  Our 2021 Virtual Social Justice Conference was designed to combine all the elements of prior years - and more!  In 2022, we were able to come back in person, and we are looking forward to another incredible conference this year.

In 2023, we decided to expand events and workshops to attract the interest of our lower school students and families.  We planned for developmentally appropriate activities to offer to the youngest members of our school and make this event a truly inclusive and all-school conference!  Featured events and workshops were:

Therapy Dogs 

Wee the People

Fortune Cookie Messages of Healing 

Meet the Author

Student Musical Performance

Healthy Eating and Affordable Healthy Snacks

RaPoetry

Musical Performance by PreK - 2nd grade!

As we continue into the future, we are always looking forward to new ideas and innovations by our students, staff, and community builders to make the Social Justice Conference a great experience for all involved each and every year!

The Social Justice Conference is an All-School Event

As a PreK-12 school, all students engage in an age-appropriate social justice curriculum.  Our Social Justice Conference gives everyone the opportunity to use their voice.

Our younger students convey their desire for equity through the arts.  Fifth and eighth graders, who have completed their own smaller version of the SJP, present their work.  Further, the Social Justice Conference is an opportunity for Capital Prep juniors to introduce their SJP topics and initial research.

Each year, an accomplished alumnus returns to share their inspirational story.  For example, Mia Dorantes, a sophomore at Central Connecticut State University is a program coordinator at the Ruthe Boyea Women's Center, where she is able to exercise her passion for advocacy work. 

Khadija Wali, member of the Class of 2015 spoke at our 2019 conference.  At the time, she was a full-time student at Central Connecticut State University, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree with a major in Biology and a double minor in Chemistry and Arabic.   

This year, Scarlet Olivo, Capital Prep Class of 2021 and UCONN Class of 2025, will be speaking.  We're looking forward to hearing how she continued her work for social justice as she began her college career.

Our Annual Social Justice Conference Artwork

Each year, our SJC Artwork to go along with the theme is designed by one of our talented student artists. Melonie Jackson, a member of the Class of 2019 poignantly depicted the themes of our 2018 (Conflict and Compromise) and 2019 (Social Justice is a Universal Language) conferences.  In 2021, eighth grader Nyah Noward conveys her interpretation of our theme, "Climb", in recognition of the challenges, adversity, and oppression that our community has overcome in a most challenging year.  The 2022 Conference included artwork from Joshmarys Colon Santiago, a Junior at Capital Prep, that made the image of "Solidarity" to include the whole world. For the 2023 conference, the artwork featured was from second grader, Malaysia Plummer.  She is a creative and talented young trailblazer, and Capital Prep is proud to show her beautiful work and visual depiction of Radical Healing! In 2024, juniors Nxy Urquijo & Alexis Rodriguez used digital art to represent the theme - "Reimagining Justice, Building Bridges for a More Just and Equitable World." This year, we have sophomore Journee Howard free hand drawing her interpretation of this year's theme with Martin Luther King Jr. and Kamala Harris. We will present her with a framed copy and gift at the Conference.

Each year we hold a competition for student artists.  Contestants from Pre-K through high school participate.  Each piece is so unique with the students' interpretation of that year's theme, and below we have pictures of all the past conference art work.

2023 Alumni Speaker - Diamond Wallen
Diamond Wallen attended Capital Prep from 6th grade to senior year and graduated in the class of 2015 with honors as the recipient of the Social Justice scholarship. She attended the Private Institution University of Saint Joseph and graduated with her Bachelor of Social Work in 2019 and recently finished as a Licensed Master’s Social Worker, class of 2023.

Artwork for the 2025 SJC - "Unfinished Business: Breaking Barriers, Building Tomorrow"
Artwork by: Journee Howard, Class of 2027

Artwork for the 2024 SJC - "REIMAGINING JUSTICE: BUILDING BRIDGES FOR A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE WORLD"
Artwork by : Nxy Urquijo & Alexis Rodriguez, Class of 2026