Meet the Student Leaders Changing School! (Part I)

REAL Student Voices Creating REAL Change in Schools

Discover how four Ithaca High School students, Adam Saar, Grace Lim, Aitan Avgar, and Kadek Nawiana, transformed their entire school district through authentic student engagement and advocacy. These inspiring student representatives share exactly how they got religious holidays added to the school calendar, implemented new grading policies during COVID, and created lasting change that benefits ALL students.

What You'll Learn:
✅ How students can effectively communicate with school leadership
✅ Strategies for meaningful student participation in district decisions
✅ Building bridges between students and school administrators
✅ Creating inclusive teaching environments through student voice
✅ Practical approaches to school improvement from the ground up

Perfect for teachers, education coaches, school administrators, parents, instructional leaders, and anyone passionate about student success and education transformation. These empowered educators prove that when we listen to students, we create thriving students and inspired teaching.

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Meet the Student Representatives
02:30 - How Students Get Elected to School Board
04:15 - Why These Students Chose Leadership Roles
07:45 - What Being a Student Rep Actually Entails
11:20 - Engaging Disconnected Students Through Social Media
13:30 - Hot Topics: Universal Lunch & Schedule Changes
16:10 - Major Win: Getting Religious Holidays on School Calendar
19:45 - The Personal Impact of Calendar Changes
22:00 - COVID's Impact: Grading Policy Advocacy
24:30 - Sustainability: Training the Next Generation
28:15 - Creating More Opportunities for Student Voice
30:45 - Future Plans: Where These Leaders Are Headed
33:20 - Final Thoughts & Call to Action

Please (seriously, you must...) take the time to see these incredible students in action, speaking to issues from our interview via the two ICSD Board Meeting Video Clips Below:

• ICSD Board of Education Voting Meeting - Tuesday, March 22, 2022 (via Zoom)
• ​​​​ICSD Board of Education Voting Meeting - Tuesday, April 26, 2022 (via Zoom)

#StudentVoice #EducationLeadership #StudentEngagement #SchoolImprovement #EducationReform #StudentAdvocacy #SchoolBoard #TeacherSupport #EducationEquity #StudentSuccess #SchoolChange #EducationTransformation #StudentLeadership #InclusiveEducation #ParentInvolvement #SchoolCulture #EducationStrategy #StudentMotivation #EmpoweredEducators #ThrivingStudents

👉 LINKED EPISODE SHOWNOTES:
Part I: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/10494750
Part II: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1890886/10495450

🔔 SUBSCRIBE to never miss an episode of Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@schoolutionspodcast/

& 👉Follow Schoolutions Teaching Strategies Podcast on social:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivia-wahl-4300811a/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolutionspodcast/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schoolutionspodcast/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/olivia-wahl.bsky.social
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@schoolutionspodcast

When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.