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A student holds a welcome sign at Roosevelt Middle School in Oakland.
Credit: Jane Meredith Adams/EdSource
As I left Saratoga High School in June 2023, hugging my childhood friends, emotional conflict swirled within me. We graduate with a deep knowledge of the thrilling and highly challenging life of a student in today's world. As I reflect on the transformative experiences that shaped my high school years, I feel fortunate to have been able to share and expand on these insights while on the youth advisory team at the California School Environment Center. This defining moment had a profound impact on me as I worked with colleagues and experts across California to help improve school climate.
A youth advisory team of seven students, with whom an adult mentor and I collaborated virtually, examined the issues and root causes that stem from students' high levels of stress, including exploring the everyday pressures of academic success, college admissions, and competition. As we engaged in discussions and initiatives both inside and outside the school, it became clear that creating a positive and inclusive environment was not just a goal, but an urgent need.
While attending schools in Costa Rica and Saratoga, I witnessed the impact school climate had on the emotional and physical well-being of students. Local and societal priorities regarding social status and wealth led many students, including myself, to share a simplistic mindset. The more we do, the better we become. We often rely on resumes to determine a person's worth, rather than using empathy, curiosity, and authenticity to measure our own worth and that of others. While many dedicated staff and parents try to alleviate this tense mindset, students often feel pressured to take on as many responsibilities as possible and try to do everything perfectly, leaving them anxious and exhausted. The need to excel in everything can lead to a negative school climate and internal conflict, where students feel burdened by unrealistic expectations of themselves and others.
Academic achievement and college admissions should not dominate students’ educational experiences. In order for students to grow, they need the opportunity and flexibility to discover their own path. But students can't expect adults to make a difference if their voices aren't heard. Young people should help guide the direction educational leaders take in their decision-making, whether on advisory boards or one-on-one. Conversations, school opinion 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 connections, and school climate. Attended conferences on topics related to . , including school safety, mental health, wellbeing, equity and inclusion.
A key lesson I have learned through this work is that co-creating school environment resources requires adults to actively listen and engage with students, building trust and meaningful relationships to help them feel comfortable speaking up in any setting. Breaking down barriers is essential to having meaningful conversations where students can begin to see adults beyond authoritative authority (making rules, handing out punishments, giving rewards) as real people with struggles. When adults are willing to be vulnerable enough to feel comfortable, students also feel able to open up. That means creating an open and honest space where we can talk, share, and take real steps.
But moving toward a healthier future isn't automatic success on day one. This requires us to continually adapt to the changing needs of our communities. The mental and physical health of young people can only be improved through constant reflection and open-mindedness, bound together by a disciplined will to do better. I was reminded of this at the Center’s annual virtual event in 2023. Nearly 200 staff, parents, and educators from across California came together during office hours to hear our youth panel deliver their insights.
Youth panel members spent months researching resources (toolkits, educational videos, guides, etc.) from a variety of sources, analyzing school experiences, and considering a variety of concepts. That day we shared the following recommendations with education leaders about what they can do to help young people:
- Integrate mental health discussions/lessons into existing or new curriculum.
- Revisiting guidance on a balanced amount of working from home.
- Ensure that school clubs and sports are healthy environments.
- Create open communication channels online and in-person events with parents to educate them about the important role home life plays in their students' well-being and success.
The audience was willing to take the time to reflect on their own strategies and were open-minded enough to acknowledge and consider new strategies.
Students and adults should aspire to build and strengthen bridges of trust and understanding with the overarching goal of enacting actionable change. Together, they can create a path toward a more positive and inclusive school environment where students feel cared for, empowered, and ready to embrace their future.
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Julian Berkowitz-Sklar He recently graduated from Saratoga High School and served on the youth advisory team for the California School Climate Center, a state initiative that provides free support on school climate and data use to California local education agencies.
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