Student Involvement

17th District PTA launched a Student Involvement Committee in September 2006 to encourage students to participate in PTA. This is the page for the Student Involvement committee.

Why Students Should Get Involved

by Douglas Bell, 17th District Student Involvement Chairman

On January 27th, I had the honor to go to Los Angeles to accept a Youth Activism award from the California Teachers Association (CTA) Peace & Justice Caucus. The award, which was also given out to six other students and four student groups, was meant to honor these groups and individuals for activist work in human rights, social justice, and student empowerment. It was truly a memorable experience to be able to not only be recognized for everything I, personally, have done in these areas, but also to get to meet many other students across California who have stepped up to the plate and spoken out for what they believe in.

I had the opportunity to network with students who have done all kinds of things to make their community a better place. Three students from Livingston received the award, after a 14-year-old boy, a friend of theirs, was shot by a gang member. Those students developed a campaign to let their City Council and other governmental officials know that they must act to address issues of safety in the community.

I also got to meet with members of the Robert A. Millikan High School Student Energy Team in Long Beach. These students volunteered their time to teach lessons to fellow students and community members on energy forms and transformations, wind power, solar power, energy conservation at home, and much more. They even built their own solar boat and won 12th place in the Solar Cup 2006.

And, I also got to meet the president of Organize Da’ Bay, a group in Oakland/Richmond comprised of students demanding non-complaince with NCLB, restoring local control to Oakland Schools, fully funding Prop 98, and loosening the High School Exit Exam. And these didn’t even begin to cover all of the students who were recognized at this event.

It was amazing to be able to interact with these students, not only to learn from them, but to be able to tell them about everything that I was doing at my school and in PTA. The ceremony, which was attended by about 60 or so people during the CTA State Council, was a very touching event.

The one comment that was said the most often during the event was, “I wasn’t expecting to get recognized like this.” And, I should admit it, even I said that myself. However, it is a sad fact that a lot of students don’t take the time to get involved in their school, or their community, or their world. A lot of students tend to give a “Who cares?” response to a number of things going on in the world, and don’t really take the time to do something to make a difference. Why? A lot of students may think that no one would listen to them, or that if they did anything, no one would join them, and they’d be the only one standing up or something like that. A lot of students are intimidated to speak out and get involved, and rightly so. The world is a very harsh place.

But it is not as harsh as it once was. More and more people, more and more organizations, are listening to students and valuing their feedback. When students speak their mind, they bring a unique, powerful point of view to the table, one that often has more weight than that of adults. When schools are put under program improvement, who does it affect the most? Students. When programs have to be cut due to budget difficulties, who does it affect the most? Students. If a military draft was to be reinstated, who would it affect the most? Teens and young adults. Groups like the PTA may speak out for children, but youth speaking out for themselves speak a lot louder. This is why groups like the PTA have adopted policies encouraging student involvement in the organization, because truly, the only way that groups can advocate for students is to have them listen and value the opinions of the students they are supporting.

And furthermore, when students get involved, they reap additional benefits. Students who participate in the community get the opportunity to be introduced to the world of adults and make unique interactions and friendships that will help them throughout their life. They can also learn new skills that comes hand in hand with volunteering for different groups, things from parliamentary procedure at meetings to organizing events, and more. Not to mention that student involvement looks GREAT on college resumes. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in my school, with PTA, and with a few other organizations. I have learned a lot of skills and a lot about myself, and all of my experiences have been quite valuable to me.

I invite all students to involve themselves in some way. At school, run for your student council, or join your school’s leadership class. Join a club, or start your own. Start attending your district’s school board meetings, and don’t be nervous to make public comments about things that are important to you. If your school has a PTA/PTSA, become a member and find ways you can volunteer (they’re always looking for volunteers!). Get your friends and classmates involved. Or, you can always participate in 17th District PTA (we’re seeking out student volunteers!). It may seem like quite a bit of work, but I assure you, you will enjoy it, and you will get a lot out of your experiences.

If you have any questions or comments about how you can get involved, send me an e-mail.