Bridging the Gap Between Students and School Leadership - A Work in Progress: Carter’s Advocacy Project

The A+ Student VOICES Team (SVT) is a passionate group of high school advocates working to amplify student perspectives in school decision-making. Each member tackles a project designed to bring about positive change. My project? Creating a structured, face-to-face opportunity each semester for students to meet with the principal—an open forum where both students and administrators could share concerns, ideas, and updates. 

The goal was simple: open communication. I imagined a space where students could talk directly with the principal about what’s really happening in our halls and classrooms—and where the principal could hear it firsthand. Not just complaints, but also hopes, questions, and suggestions. At the same time, it would allow the principal to update us on challenges the administration is facing, or areas where student input could help. 

I planned for two meetings per year, one each semester, and wanted to include students from a mix of backgrounds, grades, and interests, especially those who might not usually be heard. I talked to friends and teachers, drafted a rough schedule, and even started a list of discussion topics students had shared with me. 

But here’s the truth, the meetings never happened. And yet, this isn’t the end of the idea. 

I still believe that student-principal dialogue is not only possible—it’s essential. I learned a lot from this attempt - scheduling something at a school-wide level takes persistence, follow-up, and often a team to make it happen. Next time, I’ll reach out earlier. I’ll ask for more help. I’ll make it easier for others to say yes. I will continue to try to make this happen as I am going on a field trip this summer with a teacher who I believe can help make this a reality for students next year! 

Advocacy isn’t always clean or successful on the first try. Sometimes it's a process of trial and error, and that’s okay. I still believe in this project, and I hope I can make it happen despite graduating. Students deserve to be heard. And I’m not giving up on helping that happen.