Poly Students Earn Inaugural IGL Certification

Poly students are the first cohort to earn the Institute for Global Learning’s (IGL) Intercultural Dialogue Facilitator Certificate, a new leadership credential designed to prepare students to lead inclusive conversations and strengthen intercultural understanding.

The following students earned the certificate during the 2025–26 school year:

The certification grew out of students’ work with the Institute for Global Learning and their leadership in Poly’s first Student Action Summit, held in February in partnership with IGL. Focused on climate action, the summit brought together nearly 40 students from six schools across California and marked the first IGL Student Summit held on the West Coast.

The Intercultural Dialogue Facilitator Certificate is open to students in grades 9–12 who are committed to fostering connection across differences and building inclusive communities. To earn the certificate, students completed facilitator training, participated in virtual dialogues with peers from other IGL schools, led discussions within their own communities and across the network, and engaged in reflection on culture, perspective, and global issues.

Throughout the program, students developed skills in dialogue facilitation, intercultural communication, collaborative leadership, and listening across differences. Their work reflects Poly’s commitment to preparing students to engage thoughtfully with diverse perspectives and to lead with empathy in an interconnected world.

Please join us in congratulating our students!