Student Power in Action: Advancing Sustainability Through School Board Policy

Room: 208
Time: 1:30pm – 2:30pm

Across California, high school students in the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership Program (CYCP) are proving that young people can be powerful changemakers in shaping local education policy and moving policy into action. Through CYCP, students learn the skills to research, draft, and advocate for school board policies that advance sustainability, environmental literacy, and climate justice in their districts.

This session will feature a panel of CYCP student leaders who have successfully passed or are currently working on passing environmental and climate themed school board policies. Panelists will share their experiences navigating school board processes, building coalitions, and drawing on tools and frameworks that helped them to turn vision into action.

Attendees will gain insights into the unique role of youth leadership in policy change and leave with strategies for supporting and empowering student-driven advocacy that transforms schools into hubs for environmental learning and action.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Recognize the Role of Student Leadership in Policy Change: Attendees will explore how students drive sustainability and climate initiatives through school board policies and why their leadership is essential to systemic change.
• Identify Strategies for Student-Led Advocacy: Participants will learn practical approaches students have used to research, draft, and advocate for environmental and climate-themed policies, including coalition building and community engagement.
• Leverage Tools and Frameworks to Support Policy Action: Attendees will understand which tools and frameworks help translate student-driven policies into measurable, lasting change in schools.
• Discover How Adults Can Partner with Students for Impact: Participants will examine effective ways district leaders, educators, and community partners can collaborate with and support student advocates to maximize policy impact and scale change.

Speakers:

Andra Yeghoian, Chief Innovation Officer, Ten Strands
Polina Goncharova, Partnerships Programs Specialist, Ten Strands
Stephanie Seidmon, Program Director, UndauntedK12
Three Student Panelists

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