May 4, 2023
The elected student groups are empowering and expanding
On one sunny Monday in early March, a government was convening to do the work of its constituents. Elected leaders filled the room, ready to tackle the needs of their communities and respond to requests of their voters. The pressure was high; the people who put these leaders into office are bright, vocal, focused, and brimming with potential. After all, they’re City Schools students! And so are the leaders they elected.
Student Governments Associations (SGA) are elevating the voices of students and school communities in more than 60 City Schools across Baltimore. More than 200 elected student leaders from 33 schools attended the General Assembly meeting of the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City (ASCBC) in March; they engaged in productive discussions about the needs of their individual school communities and attended youth-led workshops on leadership, advocacy, and organizing, as well as sessions on effective school-level fundraising, supporting students experiencing homelessness, and building leadership in schools. Find a City Schools TV Recap of the event here and a “General Assembly Wrapped” presentation created by Brianna, ASCBC’s Secretary and a member of the student-led committee that planned the event.
“General Assembly was an amazing illustration of student leadership,” explained Haley Tilt, a Youth Engagement Specialist and the Advisor for ASCBC. “These scholars in student government are taking on direct responsibility for improving the educational outcomes for their peers. It's a hugely empowering responsibility that demonstrates their incredible capabilities, and we’re excited to see more students from more schools take part.”
Back in their school communities, students are putting the lessons learned to work. At City College, the SGA developed a “Student Voice Committee” who collects students’ suggestions and concerns via a Google form, synthesizes these student viewpoints, and presents them monthly to administrators. Leaders at Holabird Academy in O’Donnell Heights set up a school store to raise funds for school enhancements. At the Academy for Career and College Exploration in Hampden, SGA reps host a monthly student-led event.
Says Tilt of ASCBC’s General Assembly, “it’s easy to talk about what kids are able to do and the value of youth voice, but when you step into a space that’s truly designed by and run by kids, it is embodied proof that young people deserve to be trusted with challenging things. At the end of the day, the kids really did run the show.”
Leah, a City Schools student and SGA member in attendance at General Assembly, sees the value of leadership. “To me, leadership means power - especially being a student of color and a young woman,” she explained. “I think leadership is a sign of strength we need to use moving forward in our lives.” Ohemaa, another student attendee, said “The most important thing we can do (in SGA) is make sure we're correctly representing our class. And by being more active in communicating, we can better represent them."
“These programs are building a culture where being an informed and active voter is normal to students, who are learning about the impact their leaders can have on issues they care about.” said Tilt.
The momentum and growth of SGAs is a reminder of what we’ve always known: City Schools students have powerful insights, strong desire, and the conviction and skill to lead. To learn more about SGAs, ASCBC, and how to get involved, click here.