Amaiya is a high school student in Newburgh. She loves being creative in any work she does and is persistent when achieving her goals. Throughout her high school year, she has  been involved in the P-TECH program, where she learns to navigate high school and college classes, as well as facing her fear of public speaking, challenges with friendships. and social challenges. Amaiya joined the Student Lab to help enforce education policies that can help students all over New York feel supported and comfortable in schools.

Why is student voice important?

Student voice matters because it allows students to share their different experiences, opinions and ideas to help make school a better place for all.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?

Adults can better meet students’ educational needs by listening to student opinions and ideas and creating a space where students feel comfortable to share anything with no judgment.

What do you want the future to look like?

I want my future to look full of success, wealth, and happiness. I want to be able to use technology to make things more accessible to different users.

Dulce is a student in Peekskill, New York in the 10th grade. Dulce embodies creativity and is eager to learn as much as she can inside and outside of school. She wants to major in business and hopes to one day have a company of her own. A policy issue that she has experienced that affected her educational experience is not having enough resources in her school, such as programs or extracurriculars that support students’ growth. For example, Dulce believes there is not enough support for students that are new to the country. She joined the Student Lab in the hope that she can learn what student advocacy looks like.

Why is student voice important?

It is important because learning is what you do mostly of your time and you have to make sure that you don’t have any obstacles while doing it.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?

They better meet students’ educational needs by acknowledging what is wrong with the school environment or system and by asking the students.

What do you want the future to look like?

I want the future to look like safe place for everyone where everyone has their basic needs met.

Hadia is a high school senior born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up and attending school in the most segregated public school system in the country, she has experienced firsthand how punitive measures, over-policing, and zero-tolerance policies criminalize Black and Brown students in spaces meant to nurture their development.

Hadia is an organizer at the YA-YA Network, where she works alongside other students to challenge the school-to-prison pipeline and advocate for restorative, student-centered approaches to school safety and discipline.

She is also a youth organizer with DRUM (Desis Rising Up & Moving), where she works with the Bengali community, she was raised in to increase political engagement and build intergenerational power. Here, Hadia works alongside longtime organizers to protect immigrant communities and workers’ rights, while mobilizing South Asian communities to lead the social and policy changes that directly impact their lives.

She also works as a youth fellow in City Council Member Shahana Hanif’s office, where she promotes youth engagement in local government and helps bridge the gap between young people and city government.

Through grassroots organizing and campaigning, Hadia has developed a strong understanding of how real, lasting change is created from the ground up through the intersections of policy, political education, mutual aid, and community organizing. In the future, she plans to study international relations and take the skills she has built locally to the global stage, because the fight for justice does not stop at borders.

Hadia joined the Student Lab to continue this work alongside students across New York State who share similar experiences. She hopes to build collective power to hold elected officials accountable and ensure that students have the resources and opportunities to define their own futures. Hadia knows that education is the groundwork for justice and a prerequisite for sustainable social change.”

Why is student voice important?

Student voices matter because there is so much happening in the world that will permanently alter the course of our futures. When those in power fail to address these realities, as young people, we are entitled to the space to fight for a livable future for ourselves and future generations.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?

By understanding that young people are entering an increasingly unstable world, and giving us the grace to process, learn, and grow from our mistakes.

What do you want the future to look like?

I want to live in a future where my friends and family are not living in fear of being removed from their homes, where our failure to address climate issues does not lead to disaster, where I can trust that my children are cared for by the institutions meant to protect them, and where living in the city I grew up in is not only affordable, but sustainable.

Mia is a high school student in Orangeburg, New York. She grew up in the Bronx for most of her life, surrounded by family. Five years ago, her family moved to Rockland County, where she experienced an identity crisis followed by significant personal growth as she navigated the cultural and social differences as a young Brown girl from the Bronx moving into a town that is predominately white. Her experience led her to a point in her life where she knows what she stands for and what she wants from life, leading to advocating for herself and other young people.

Mia witnessed firsthand how reliance on local property taxes for school funding can create significant inequities in resources and opportunities. For example, Mia experienced an underfunded school in the Bronx — where access to updated materials, extracurriculars, and activities like field trips was limited — to her new school in Rockland County, which had more abundant resources.  While her new school offered more resources, Mia noticed that her old school has a particularly strong sense of community and support among students, teachers, and staff as opposed to her new environment, which exposed how deeply privilege can shape school culture and student experiences. 

Why is student voice important?

Student voice is important because the students are the future. Our voices and opinions should matter most, especially when the conversation is about the future. People often think students don’t know any better than adults, but most times that’s not the case.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?

Adults can better meet educational needs by simply being respectful and supportive. Whether that means assisting with a problem, holding office hours, or just reaching out to the student if they seem to be struggling.

What do you want the future to look like?

I want the future to look peaceful, happy, and economically prosperous. I don’t want it to be super modernistic and futuristic, and I want it to be pure, wholesome, and natural.

Ruth (she/her) is a Venezuelan immigrant and high school student whose leadership is rooted in lived experience, resilience, and an unshakable commitment to justice. Having migrated twice and navigated multiple school systems, she has learned to adapt across cultures while developing a deep understanding of the complexities that shape identity, belonging, and opportunity.

Ruth’s early experiences with displacement, including living in an overcrowded shelter, along with exposure to political instability and economic hardship, did more than shape her perspective; they defined her purpose. As a young immigrant in environments with limited diversity, she has faced racism, xenophobia, and systemic barriers that are often dismissed or minimized. Rather than accepting silence, Ruth recognized these patterns as part of a broader reality affecting many students like her and chose to confront them.

She has since dedicated herself to transforming exclusion into action.

Ruth works to create spaces where students are not only included, but empowered to speak, question, and lead. She founded her school’s Debate Club to foster respectful dialogue, critical thinking, and student voice, while also taking on leadership roles as a Class Council representative, secretary of Student Council, and social media officer of Interact Club. Across her work, she emphasizes that student voice is essential. In a rapidly changing world, students bring perspectives and lived experiences that must be included in shaping educational systems and the future of society.

She is also the founder of Bridges of Inclusion, a civic initiative born from her direct experiences with discrimination and invisibility. What began as a class project has grown into a broader effort to challenge ignorance and build inclusive communities. Through this work, Ruth has collaborated with school leadership and community partners to translate essential resources for immigrant families, lead cultural education initiatives, and advocate for changes that better support diverse student populations. She believes that adults can better meet students’ educational needs by listening intentionally, creating supportive environments, and providing the tools necessary for students to succeed.

Beyond her school community, Ruth is deeply engaged in immigrant rights advocacy. Through her work with Columbia County Sanctuary Movement (CCSM), New York State Youth Leadership Council (NYSYLC), and Adelante Student Voices, along with other grassroots organizations, she has participated in protests, press conferences, and advocacy efforts, standing in defense of immigrant communities and calling for dignity, protection, and justice.

Ruth plans to study law and pursue a career in government, where she hopes to help create laws that protect and uplift marginalized communities. Her passion for history and activism continues to guide her work, as well as her desire to support those who are facing the same challenges she once experienced. She envisions a future where education is equitable, where communities are united rather than divided, and where policies are shaped with compassion and accountability. No matter where she goes, she remains committed to fighting for what is right, defending human rights, and standing alongside her community, which is where she finds both her purpose and her happiness.

Why is student voice important?
Student voice is important because students often say what needs to be said.
Their voices carry strength, honesty, and urgency. Students are able to recognize problems more quickly because they are directly experiencing them, and they are less likely to normalize injustice. Throughout history, student voices have played a critical role in social movements and have helped drive meaningful change. When students are heard, they bring awareness, challenge systems, and push for a better future.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?
I believe it is important for adults, especially educators, to see students as human beings before they see them as students. Empathy and understanding are essential. Students come from different backgrounds and experiences, and those realities should be acknowledged rather than judged. Adults can better support students by creating safe spaces where they feel respected, heard, and valued. Providing opportunities, showing patience, and taking the time to understand students before making assumptions can make a meaningful difference in how students learn and grow.

What do you want the future to look like?
I envision a future with more empathy, compassion, and accountability, and less corruption and abuse of power. I hope to see a world where people are more respectful, where everyone feels seen and heard, and where inclusion is a priority. I also want to see more young people involved in politics and more spaces created for youth to have a seat at the table, where their voices are truly valued and empowered. At the same time, I hope students are able to be more present in their lives, with fewer distractions, so they can better understand the world around them. It is important that we are aware, that we care, and that we are willing to stand up against injustice.

Shaina is a high school in Brooklyn, where she is already building the foundation for a career at the intersection of law, advocacy, and medicine. A first-generation aspiring attorney and student of color, she approaches her education with intention, understanding that access to opportunity is both powerful and fragile.

Her daily schedule reflects ambition in motion. After a full academic day spanning nine periods, she transitions into leadership spaces, serving as a youth advocate intern at Children Citizens’ Committee New York, participating in peer mediation, training as a flag football student athlete, and working to establish a student-led club. Each commitment is intentional. Every experience is treated as a strategic step toward long-term advancement.

Programs inside and outside of school have played a defining role in her development. Exposure to enrichment initiatives, internships, and academic leadership opportunities has expanded her sense of possibility. These structured access points have strengthened her college and career readiness, clarified her professional goals, and reinforced her belief that opportunity can transform trajectory.

Her experience has also revealed systemic limitations. She has observed how grade level restrictions often determine eligibility for advanced experiences, regardless of a students’ readiness, skills, or motivation. She believes evaluation should extend beyond age or classification and instead incorporate demonstrated ability, written expression, and lived experience. For driven students, barriers tied strictly to grade level can delay growth and advancement.

Her interest in policy is personal. She recognizes that many students face academic pressure not because of a lack of ability, but because of limited guidance and structural uncertainty. She advocates for systems in which opportunity is not dependent on networks, but on preparation and initiative. In her view, education policy must balance equality and equity by expanding programs broadly while also ensuring targeted support for students who need it most.

Her career aspirations reflect this commitment to both impact and structure. She plans to pursue law, with particular interest in intellectual property or medical malpractice, while potentially integrating legal expertise with health care knowledge.

Above all, Shaina wants policymakers to understand that students like her exist in every borough and district, self-driven, motivated, and committed to growth. When given access, they do not simply participate; they excel.

She does not view opportunity as a privilege to receive, but as a responsibility to maximize. And she intends to use everyone she earns.

Why is student voice important?

Student voice is important because students have direct experiences with the systems that adults design, so their lived experiences reveal key factors and gaps that data cannot identify. When students are included in spaces where they can advocate, solutions become far more practical and rooted in real world needs rather than assumptions.

How can adults better meet your educational needs?

Adults can meet educational needs by recognizing what the youth need directly to support them with their academic and continuing lived experiences.

What do you want the future to look like?

I want the future to look like a system where opportunity becomes accessible, not selective and where access to mentorship, programs and leadership spaces are based on drive rather than background and data. Institutions who balance equity with excellence will provide students with drive with the assurance that students’ visions won’t be delayed by structural limitations.