PUSD youth conference, 2026 (Photo – Scott Phelps)
On Wednesday, April 15th, more than 110 students from all of the school district’s high schools gathered at PCC for a day of listening and learning from one another. The event was titled Leaders of Progress: Cultivating the Next Generation of Trailblazers.
By Scott Phelps
In fall 2020, when the world was in lockdown due to the global pandemic, then-Superintendent Dr. Brian McDonald was approached by author, educator, and PUSD parent Sehba Sarwar with the idea of creating a virtual network of PUSD high school student leaders. He agreed immediately. At that time, there were few opportunities for students across the district to collaborate.
PUSD’s Student Think Tank launched six months later under the directorship of Dr. Chan Hill, who was then leading the district’s Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development department. Sarwar facilitated the virtual sessions, which began with only 13 student participants. As a united student body, the group conducted research on issues important to students and presented their findings virtually to PUSD leadership and the board. The group has now expanded to include more than 40 students.
In the program’s first year, the team also created an anonymous survey and invited fellow high school students, through the help of teachers, to submit stories and reflections about their lives. With support from the Pasadena Educational Foundation and the LEARNS After School Program, the students recently released a five-year anthology of stories titled The Learning Curve—Stories, Art, and Reflections on Life by Pasadena Unified School Students. Copies of TLC (as the book is affectionately called by its founders, some of whom are now in college) were raffled off at the end of the conference.
In 2023, through the efforts of the Student Think Tank, the PUSD board approved the creation of the Student Assembly, which consists of representatives elected from the six PUSD high schools. Eleventh‑grade members of this group have, for the past few years, taken turns attending school board meetings and casting preferential votes on various agenda items.
Last year, the group hosted its first youth conference in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s venue was PCC’s Creveling Lounge, and although the event took place during PCC’s spring break, PCC Superintendent/President Jose Gomez addressed the attendees. He noted that April 15 was a special day for both the district and PCC, as it was Jackie Robinson Day in Major League Baseball, and Jackie was a graduate of both institutions. Gomez admired the purple shirts worn by Student Think Tank and Assembly members—many of whom raised their hands when he asked if they were also PCC students—and he promised to light up PCC in purple during the group’s next evening meeting.
As in previous years, the event included table discussions, a keynote address—this year delivered by Nikki High, founder and owner of Octavia’s Bookshelf—student‑hosted panel presentations designed by and for students, an address by district Superintendent Elizabeth Blanco, and lunch. This year’s panel titles were Building Empathy, Repairing the System: Identifying and Addressing Injustice in Our Schools, and Power of Student Voice.
During the Power of Student Voice panel, student panelists shared that although they are speaking out, they are not always being heard. One panelist suggested that students form a union to advocate, organize, and even threaten to strike.
PHS senior Azucena P., who played a lead role in organizing this year’s conference, said, “Through the conference, students know where they can go to make their voice heard. I think that through the conference, we are going to have a new generation of students who feel proud of their voices and want to continue to use their voices in decision‑making structures. I truly believe that our conference let students know that their voices are important in the district!”
One student commented, “The amount of inclusivity was amazing. I liked how it made everyone feel. And the panelists were smart and educated!”
Another student said, “I like how we talked about how it’s very good to use your voice, not just for yourself, but for others as well.”
At the end of the day, students shared that it was valuable to spend time with their peers, exchange personal experiences and perspectives, and learn from one another.
From the PUSD Youth Conference at PCC (Photo – Scott Phelps)
(L-R) CIS students, Carissa Romero, Emani Barry, Celeste Estrella and Jamari Fernandez (Photo – Scott Phelps)
From the PUSD Youth Conference at PCC (Photo – Scott Phelps)
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