Portola High is home to many changemakers who are motivated by their mission to speak out about pressing issues facing the community. Every year, six of these students are chosen to travel to Sacramento with those from other IUSD high schools to vocalize their concerns to policymakers and lobbyists.
To be considered for the trip on March 15, students must display a strong articulation of the policies they plan to support, according to trip advisor and social studies department chair Jon Resendez. Although the trip only lasts one day, students spend months preparing for the trip by meeting with Superintendent Terry Walker along with other directors and district personnel.
“Right away, they can ask questions and say, ‘Hey, why don’t we have this in the district? Why don’t we have that in the district?’ and our district leaders get to hear that too,” Resendez said. “It’s a really interesting program. They learn a lot about what’s going on, but they also have a lot of opportunities to advocate for themselves inside the district.”
Before each meeting leading up to the trip, students research the panel speakers, who will be attending the meeting, and how they have helped the community, according to junior Bill Song. Each meeting focuses on a different topic, like how the curriculum is created, to ensure students are informed before they meet with policymakers in Sacramento.
“I’ve learned that state legislators love to theorize the problems that a school may have, but they rarely ever communicate with the superintendent on the issues,” Song said. “Some of the real issues that may not be so obvious almost never get addressed.”
Senior Kate Abalos is participating in the program for the second time. She first applied in her junior year after recognizing significant issues with the education system and wanting to incite change with her voice. This year, she is fulfilling the role of student leader, mentoring other students on how to communicate with policymakers and providing insight on the legislative process, according to Abalos.
“Something I’m looking forward to most is seeing the other advocates in Sacramento feeling inspired about how they can make change and seeing the different ways they take on a path toward effective action,” Abalos said. “I think I am just really excited to see the fruits of our labor, which is the best part of this whole thing.”
As students embark on their journey to Sacramento, they will discover the power of their voices as they navigate through the complexities of advocating for change, according to Resendez.
“A saying I’ve always used is ‘they learn how to tell truth to gain power,’ which is very difficult for a young person who feels like they’re inadequate compared to people that are accomplished,” Resendez said. “They get a lot of practice sitting in rooms with adults and learning how to speak their truth to those adults and see themselves as empowered, important and deserving of a seat at the table.”
