— Carrying forward a legacy of connection and learning
Troutbeck Symposium
Troutbeck is more than a place — it has been a catalyst for progress for over a century, deeply connected to the history of social justice and intellectual thought. It hosted the 1916 and 1933 Amenia Conferences, where W.E.B. Du Bois and other leaders laid the foundation for the NAACP, cementing its role in shaping societal change. From inspiring literary icons like Emerson and Thoreau to serving as a hub for social justice movements, Troutbeck’s legacy is one of fostering meaningful dialogue and driving transformative progress.
The Troutbeck Symposium builds on this rich tradition, by empowering students to learn our collective history and providing a platform to share it with our community. Since its inception in 2021, the Symposium has engaged nearly 1,000 students, dozens of educators, and nearly 20 schools in uncovering and sharing untold stories of our area.
Troutbeck Symposium 2025
From April 30 through May 2, the project-based student-led educational forum returns to Troutbeck for its fourth year in a row.
Troutbeck Symposium 2025
Students as Historians: A Community Based Approach to History
The Troutbeck Symposium was born out of a collaborative 2020 project between Salisbury School history teacher Rhonan Mokriski and documentary film maker, Ben Willis. Working within the limitations of Covid-19 lockdown, the teachers guided students to create a series of short documentaries that explored little-known African American history in our area. Through the student project Coloring Our Past a connection to Troutbeck was made and from there the project expanded by partnering with Troutbeck, inviting more schools to participate, a total of nine, culminating in a multi-day meeting at Troutbeck showcasing the students’ work for the first Troutbeck Symposium.
Project-Based Learning
The philosophy employs a decentralized approach, created and led by the Troutbeck Symposium, educators and students. This means that multiple schools support, contribute, and collaborate with each other across disciplines with the goal of generating meaningful and authentic projects that endeavor to educate the community.
The program acknowledges the idea that history is "messy," encouraging students to be detectives, pull threads and rethink stories and accepted statements through a critical lens. We work across and within diverse communities, encouraging innovative approaches to place-based and experiential learning as well as historical storytelling. This unique blend of collaboration and education creates a lasting impact-not just for students, but for their communities and the wider world. By rethinking past practices and embracing new methods, we strive to collectively understand, uplift, and celebrate the stories that define us.
"This is about uncovering truths that will indeed set us free, especially when you see it in the eyes, in the minds, in the smiles of the kids. Empowering students to believe that they themselves can create the change that we need."
Program Achievements
- Cross-school student collaborations
- Rhonan Mokriski named Connecticut History Teacher of the Year (Gilder Lehrman Institute) and Peter Vermilyea GL CT HTOY ’06
- Official affiliate of the America 250/CT Commission
- Student documentaries earning national and internation recognition, including Black Moses (The Marvelwood School): Best Student Film at the Ogeechee Internation History Film Festival. Speak Loud: The Story of Mabel Byrd (The Marvelwood School), selected for the Black History Film Festival in Washington DC, and the film that started this all, Coloring our Past (Salisbury School), winner of Best Student Film at the DownEast Film Festival and the Louisville Film Festival.
- Historical marker commemorating The Amenia Conferences of 1916 & 1933 from the Pomeroy Foundation, made possible by high school students from Arlington High School.
"This is the most important, most productive, most meaningful, and most promising program I have been involved with in my career. The Troutbeck Symposium is the roadmap for the future."
Image Gallery
"It makes my Beinecke Library heart sing to see middle and high school students engaging with tangible archives, community memories, and historical narratives in ways that bring both to life."
Learn More
Thank you for the continued support from our sponsors and partners:
Amenia Historical Society, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University, Cornwall Historical Society, Draper Foundation, The Du Bois Forum, The Du Bois Freedom Center, Dutchess County Historical Society, Litchfield Historical Society, The Norfolk Historical Society, Northwest CT Community Foundation, Salisbury Association, Sharon Historical Society, Sheffield Historical Society, Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, Wassaic Project
Image Slideshow
All photos provided by Flynn Larsen and Joshua Simpson