A Student-Led National Program Now in Its Second Decade.
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Many schools address topics like consent and sexual assault briefly, if at all, within a broader health curriculum. Georgetown Day School takes a different approach: a full, student-led national summit dedicated entirely to the subject.
Quick Answer for Busy Parents
The GDS Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent is a student-organized conference that brings together students, educators, and advocates from schools around the country to examine policy, survivor support, and prevention, part of what schools look for in applicants beyond grades and test scores. Run through the GDS Policy Institute on Sexual Assault and Consent, it has been held annually since 2016 and is aimed at students in grades 8 through 12.
What the Summit Is
The Summit is organized and run primarily by GDS students, with faculty support, reflecting the kind of student leadership opportunities that shape a strong application, and brings together participants from secondary schools across the country to examine current laws, school policies, and programs related to sexual assault and consent. Sessions cover topics like survivor support, power dynamics, and how school communities can respond constructively rather than avoid the subject.
How the Summit Started
The Summit’s roots trace back to spring 2015, when a group of GDS students and teachers attended a student-developed production addressing sexual assault, followed by a screening of a documentary on the subject and a panel discussion. That momentum led to the creation of a dedicated track within GDS’s summer Policy and Advocacy Institute, where students spent the summer studying policy and advocacy connected to sexual assault, meeting with lawyers, policymakers, and survivors. That work became the first Summit, held in November 2016 with more than 200 participants from over 20 schools and organizations. The program now operates as the GDS Policy Institute on Sexual Assault and Consent.
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Who Attends and What They Do
The Summit’s reach reflects real, sustained student initiative, exactly the kind of private school admissions consulting clients are encouraged to highlight when it’s genuine:
| Detail | Value |
| Who Organizes It | GDS students, with faculty support, through the GDS Policy Institute on Sexual Assault and Consent |
| Who Attends | Students in grades 8–12, along with parents, educators, and professionals in the field |
| Reach | Schools from across the country, not limited to the Washington, DC area |
| Held Since | 2016, annually |
Why This Matters for Families Evaluating GDS
The Summit reflects a broader educational philosophy at GDS: giving students real ownership over programs that address serious, often-avoided topics, rather than leaving them to a brief unit in a health class. For families evaluating whether GDS’s values align with their own, the Summit is a concrete example of the school’s approach to student leadership and its willingness to support substantive student-led initiatives, even on difficult subjects.
Get Into GDS with the Best Educational Consultants in D.C.
The Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent is one of the clearest examples of GDS’s commitment to student leadership, now in its second decade and drawing participants from across the country. Cardinal Education helps families evaluate how a school’s values and programming, including initiatives like this one, fit their own priorities, backed by real results.
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Want to know how this applies to Asian American applicants specifically? Our guide to GDS for Asian American families covers that in depth.
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