We believe that since schools are the first civic institution many young people interact with as stakeholders, they should teach students how to meaningfully engage in the democratic process. Through direct civic action, students should have a more powerful voice to combat educational inequity.
We envision an education system where students and adults work as partners to create meaningful change in their schools and communities. Through committed youth-adult partnerships, we cultivate a shared commitment to creating more equitable social outcomes.
Students across the country participate in workshops to complete a year-long passion project which addresses a specific issue in their school or community.
Local student groups identify the root causes of educational inequities. Student Voice provides the resources and tools that helps students create policies and practices to address these inequities.
High school students report on their local experiences, producing multimedia content that heightens student voices in broader educational reform conversations.
Youth activists and students from across the country connect in the YU4A Facebook group to aggregate resources and accelerate collective action.
Student Voice equips students as storytellers, organizers and institutional partners who advocate for student-driven solutions to educational inequity. Through direct civic action, Student Voice helps students hold their schools and surrounding communities accountable to the Student Bill of Rights and prepares them to become lifelong agents of social and political change.
Sharing the stories of America's students through local journalism
READ THE STORIES →
We believe that every student deserves these nine rights
All students have the right to an affordable and equitable education.
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All students have the right to engage with their community and expect their schools to treat them with the rights of citizens.
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All students have the right to shape decisions and institutions that will affect their future.
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All students have the right to an education tailored to their individual needs and that prepares them for life beyond high school.
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All students have the right to learn in an environment that doesn’t discriminate against them and reflects the variety of backgrounds in the student body.
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All students have the right to understand existing rules in their school and the opportunity to address unfair treatment.
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All students have the right to express themselves within an educational context.
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All students have the right to access modern technology to use for their education.
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All students have the right to feel mentally, physically, and emotionally safe in school.
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Creating pathways for empathy by listening, organizing and storytelling. Usually thinking about coffee.
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Making educational advocacy accessible through language. Lover of baking, coffee and The Bachelor.
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Relentless optimist with a passion for creating community. Always up for a chat about equity, education and learning.
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Passionate about making schools equitable and inclusive. Connoisseur of music, sugary drinks and politics.
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Committed to helping students use their voices to shape their educational experiences.
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Advocate for a world that uplifts our differences rather than punish them. Often found creating structural change, reading a book, contemplating life or exploring a new city.
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Passionate about amplifying my peers' voices. Lover of podcasts, long conversations and traveling.
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Ensuring that aspiring changemakers, journalists and storytellers can make a meaningful impact within their communities.
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Working to make democracy accessible for all through civic education. Believer in the power of young people to change the world.
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Uplifting student experiences through narrative. Huge fan of sticker collections and collaborative Spotify playlists.
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Passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion. Obsessed with macaroons and sunsets.
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Excited about elections, youth civic engagement and ‘I Voted’ stickers. Always on the lookout for new music, poetry and any type of activism.
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Lover of sunrises, student press and shrimp chips. Probably playing guitar in the woods if not designing.
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Amplifying the voices of the voiceless. Lover of politics, pizza and plays.
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Thinking about equity for our schools. BIG fan of long chats, yoga and pups.
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Passionate about making politics accessible for all to build a better future.
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