(Note: links in this newsletter are to external sites)
Have You Asked Your Students Yet?
By: James Layman, AWSL Director
The importance of student voice in schools has been an undercurrent of the work of the Association of Washington Student Leaders (AWSL) throughout its 65-year history. However, in recent years, AWSL has been working diligently to ensure a poignant yet powerful question that has guided our work and mission: "Have you asked your students yet?"
With the support and guidance of students, AWSL has woven the concepts of "nothing for us, without us" and "people support what they help create" into the lexicon of school culture and climate. The ability and intentionality to recognize students as "Culture and Climate Specialists" are upon us within our current education system.
How do we transform our school culture and climate into an atmosphere where each and every student and adult feels accepted and that they belong? A school culture and climate where each and every student and adult feel seen, loved, heard, and valued. An atmosphere where everybody can authentically show up every day without having to diminish or mute who they are. This type of school culture and climate can be possible if we look inward and ask the most prominent stakeholders in the educational system - the students. Continue reading this article...
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UP for Learning – provides a visual representation of how to engage youth authentically; starting as a seed where youth are recipients and often informed and directed by adults, to ideally creating a full youth and adult partnership with a strong foundation of respect, trust, and equity.
Hart's Ladder of Participation
It is important to empower youth and give them authentic and meaningful opportunities to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Hart’s Ladder of Participation explores the eight different levels of youth engagement and decision- making power. The ladder is designed to explain the different levels of youth engagement, from manipulation to shared decision making.
Washington’s Official Youth Voice: Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC)
What is LYAC?
The Legislative Youth Advisory Council (LYAC) is the only nonpartisan youth-led committee empowered by state law to represent the official voice of Washington youth to the Legislature. It is entirely student led and co-administered by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Washington State Leadership Board. Read more here… https://www.walyac.org
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In an effort to help gather additional information about student’s experiences during the pandemic, two different “COVID-19 Student Surveys” were administered. One was done in March of 2021 and the other in February 2022. Results for the 2021 survey can be found on OSPIs webpage. State Level results from the 2022 survey will be released in mid-April and posted on this webpage.
Check out some of the words of advice students gave one another as they answered this question from the 2022 COVID-19 Survey.
For many, the time since the COVID-19 pandemic started has been difficult. What tips or words of encouragement would you give to other students during this time?
- Find ways to entertain yourself, but be careful not to lose yourself in them---otherwise you'll get lost in your own bubble and you might not be able to get back out. Find ways to interact with others so you don't mentally become a hermit.
- Actively try new things until you have at least 3 activities that calm you down and make you feel happy.
- Ask for help if you need it. Don't hold things up inside, be yourself, be authentic, and don't care about what other people think. Things will get better, all you have to do is believe.
- Be strong don't give up don't stop what you like the most.
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You aren't alone and it is ok to ask for help from peers, friends, other people
- Don't be mean to people they already have enough problems in their life. Most of the time if you are nice to people, they will be nice to you.
- Don't sit at home and only complain, actually do something about what you're complaining about.
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Results from the 2021 Healthy Youth Survey are now available on askhys.net. This student perspective survey allows students the ability to share their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors pertaining to school experiences and personal life. Data can be viewed in a variety of ways. State, county, ESD, and regional data are publicly available on askhys.net. Check out OSPI’s Healthy Youth Survey webpage, to find questions broken down by topics, learn how to do a Question by Question analysis, and other resources.
Graduation Equity Webinar: Youth Voice
April 13, 2022 | 10:00 – 11:30 am
- Learn some of the foundational best practices for inviting youth voice into the classroom, school systems, and the community.
- Learn from the examples of our practitioner panel about how to implement these best practices in ways that are culturally relevant
- Check out some state youth voice data highlights
- Get resources to guide your practice
So what are youth saying these days? What are adults doing to make sure they’re listening? We’re bringing you Association of Washington Student Leaders Director, James Layman to talk about P.I.E. – Prioritizing, Inviting, and Encouraging youth voice and ways that we can get real opinions by asking the right questions. We’re also honored to have 2018 National Teacher of the Year, Mandy Manning, on our practitioner panel to share practices for inviting youth voice in the classroom, school system, and the community. Additionally, Kennewick School District Migrant and Bilingual Graduation Specialists, Esmerelda Lopez and Ana Claro will share how they’re elevating migrant and bilingual students through club offerings aimed at increasing leadership and postsecondary options.
Presenters
- James Layman, Director, Association of Washington Student Leaders
- Mandy Manning, 2018 Teacher of the Year, Digital Content Specialist, Washington Education Association
- Esmerelda Lopez, Migrant Graduation Specialist 11–12, School Counselor Kennewick High School, ALAS (Achieving Leadership with All Students) Advisor, Kennewick School District
- Ana Claro Rincon, Migrant Graduation Specialist 9–12, Kamiakin High School, ALAS Advisor, Kennewick School District
- Emily Maughan, Substance Abuse Prevention Program Supervisor, OSPI
Watch
Student Voice
Watch high school students from around Washington as they share their thoughts on DEI, COVID-19, and why it's important to listen to students.
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Read
It’s On Adults to Make Space for Youth Voice (educationnorthwest.org)
64 Ways to Amplify Youth Voice and Agency
UCLA Center for the Transformation of Schools; “Nothing About Us Without Us”: LCFF Case Study on East Side Union HSD
Student Voice Work
Articles and Blogs regarding Student Voice:
21st Century Community Learning Center Bidders Conference May 6, 2022, 9am – 12pm
Interested in applying for an out of school time academic enrichment grant? The 21st Century Community Learning Center Bidders conference will review components of the 2022–2023, 21st Century grant application instructions and requirements. You must register to attend.
21st Century Community Learning Center Program
Register now for the May 6 Bidders Conference! (link is external)
April is diversity month! It was officially designated as diversity month in 2004, and it strives to help people gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other and their differences. To celebrate April diversity, consider new ways you can integrate diversity into your life. This could be considering implicit biases you have or how they impact the judgment of the people around you or asking questions to make connections with others.
Each year, April is set aside as a military child appreciation month, and officially known as the Month of the Military Child. Find the Military Child Month Toolkit here. Purple Up this year is April 14th – wear purple to honor military kids!
World Autism Awareness Month is celebrated every April!
National Library Week (April 3–9) is a time to celebrate our nation's libraries, library workers' contributions, and promote library use and support.
April 2: World Autism Awareness Day
April 22: Earth Day
April 27: Administrative Professionals’ Day
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