Heed youth voices to improve school climate

A student holds a welcoming sign at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland.

Credit: Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource

In June 2023, as I tightly hugged my childhood friends and departed from Saratoga High School, an emotional conflict stirred within me. We had graduated with an intense knowledge of the thrilling and very challenging life of a student in today’s world. As I reflected on the transformative experiences that shaped my high school years, I felt fortunate to have shared and expanded these insights while on the California Center for School Climate’s Youth Advisory Team. This defining moment to partner with peers and experts throughout California to help improve school climate had a resounding impact on me.

The Youth Advisory Team, which included adult mentors and seven students I collaborated with virtually, examined the challenges that stem from high levels of stress in students and the root causes of it — exploring the daily pressures of academic success, college admissions and competition. As I engaged in discussions and initiatives in and outside my school, it became evident that fostering a positive and inclusive environment is not merely a goal but an urgent necessity.

Attending schools in both Costa Rica and Saratoga, I witnessed the impact of school climate on students’ emotional and physical well-being. Local and societal prioritizations of social status and wealth led many students, including me, to share a simple mindset: The more we take on, the better we are as people. Rather than using empathy, curiosity and integrity to gauge our worth and that of others, we often rely on a resume to determine a person’s value. While many dedicated school staff and parents attempt to alleviate this taut way of thinking, students often feel compelled to take on as many responsibilities as possible and try to execute them all perfectly, leaving them anxious and exhausted. The need to excel at everything can lead to a negative school climate and internal conflicts where students feel burdened by unrealistic expectations from themselves and others.

Academic achievement and college admissions should not overwhelm students’ educational experiences. To thrive, students need opportunities and flexibility to discover their own paths. However, students can’t expect adults to properly bring about change if they don’t hear students’ voices — youth need to help guide the direction education leaders take with decision-making, whether this be in advisory committees, one-on-one conversations, school polls/surveys, etc.

Working closely with the California Center for School Climate and fellow students, our team helped develop resources explaining the importance of school relationships and school safety, designed a toolkit for educators to better support staff and student connection, and attended meetings about topics related to school climate, including school safety, mental health, and well-being, equity and inclusion.

A key lesson I learned through this work was that in order to co-create school climate resources, adults must actively listen to and engage with students to build trust and meaningful relationships — helping them feel comfortable speaking up in any environment. Breaking down barriers is essential to have these meaningful conversations in which students can begin to see adults beyond their authoritative powers (making rules, handing out punishments, giving rewards) and as real people with struggles. When adults are willing to be vulnerable to the extent that they feel comfortable, it makes students feel like they can open up, too — creating an open and honest space to talk, share and take real steps forward.

However, a movement toward a healthier future isn’t automatically successful on its first day; it requires us to adapt to our communities’ changing needs constantly. The mental and physical health of youth will only improve through a constant flow of reflection and open-mindedness, tied together by a disciplined will to do something better. I was reminded of this during the center’s annual virtual event in 2023, in which nearly 200 school staff, parents and educators from across California came together in the middle of a workday to listen to our youth panel relay our insights.

The youth panel members had spent months researching resources (such as toolkits, educational videos, and guides) from a broad range of sources, analyzing our school experiences, and considering different concepts. That day, we shared our recommendations with education leaders on what they could do to help their young people, which included:

• Integrating mental health discussions/lessons into existing or new curriculums.
• Revisiting guidelines regarding a balanced amount of take-home work.
• Ensuring that school clubs and sports are healthy environments.
• Creating online open channels of communication and in-person events with parents to educate them on the pivotal role home life plays in student well-being and success.

The members of our audience were willing to take the time to reflect on their own strategies and were open-minded enough to acknowledge and consider new ones.

Students and adults should aspire to assemble and strengthen bridges of trust and understanding with the overarching goal of committing actionable change. Together, they can forge a path toward a more positive and inclusive school climate where students feel cared for, empowered and ready to embrace their futures.

●●●

Julian Berkowitz-Sklar is a recent graduate of Saratoga High School and served on the Youth Advisory Team of the California Center for School Climate, a state initiative that provides free support on school climate and data use to local education agencies in California. 

The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.