A large factor in this new curriculum is the idea that reading texts that mirror their lives will help to engage students. Mofetoluwa “Mofey” Koya, IB diploma candidate and senior, said she agrees with the idea of relatable reading material leading to more engagement in class.

“I think as a person of color, just being able to see literature that’s from other parts of the world, not just American classics, (is important),” Koya said. “Especially for people who come from those countries, they can relate or see their own history in what they’re learning in class.”

Overbeck said the acknowledgment from the school board on the diversity within Carmel is a step in the right direction, allowing students to step outside of their current worldview and learn about other cultures.

“We do live in a very small Carmel bubble,” Overbeck said. “We’re kind of making that conscious decision that the more texts, the more types of texts and people and cultures and beliefs that we expose students to, the better off they’ll be as citizens of the globe.”

Koya said the literature she’s been exposed to in her IB Literature class has opened her eyes to other cultures that she was never engaged with, encouraging her to learn more about other cultures.

“It’s just important, with a lot of the reading in high school, it’s mostly American literature so they only get the perspective of American writers, American experiences. I feel like that can kind of limit your worldview by not reading anything from other countries or cultures,” Koya said. “It motivates people to learn.”