GUSD Students Share Insights at Annual Student Voice Panel
On Tuesday, March 17th, selected panelists from all five GUSD high schools participated in the annual Student Voice Panel held at Glendale High School (GHS). These students shed light on topics that affect students every day by discussing questions composed by the Student Advisory Council. Rebecca Perez, the student moderator from GHS, guided the discussion, ensuring a smooth transition between topics. These topics included student belonging and engagement, academic and career opportunities, and support, safety and accessibility.
Intentional support from administrators, teachers, and peers, allows every student to reach their potential and grow in unexpected ways. Cat Milner, representing Crescenta Valley High School, introduced solutions such as building ramps to make campuses more accessible for students with disabilities and establishing clear consequences to reduce bullying. Panelists expressed that a great way to promote inclusivity is to create intentional spaces, such as wellness centers, where students can focus on their mental health and freely share their cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
When transitioning to a new high school system, panelists explained that immigrant students “feel like entering a completely different world,” as Marianna Shekoian illustrates. Students found that the most effective way to support new students is to connect them with a mentor who helps them throughout their integration process. Liana Tumasian from GHS highlighted the importance of clear communication, in multiple languages, between teachers and families about school news and tutoring opportunities.
Having access to practical resources is essential for students to thrive. For example, Kelley Kintanar from GHS explained the need for more SAT and ACT preparation, along with the significance of these tests. The student representatives from Verdugo Academy, Natali Minasyan and Manana Mkrtchyan, expressed their wish to have more resources, such as informative meetings with colleges held at their study hall. Similarly, students from GHS and Clark Magnet High School who are interested in medicine believe that more opportunities in the medical field should be offered.
This event provided space to celebrate how schools enrich our students' high school experience while also identifying the problems that need to be addressed. The panel was full of praise for the various clubs offered by high schools. Dveen Aghanian and Christy Orujian were content with Clark Magnet’s two club rushes a year and utilizing enrichment for club meetings. Mary Ghazaryan, a panelist from Hoover High School, noted the need for the administration to promote clubs more to increase student engagement. As Shervin Naeli explained, “We might want to put more effort into promoting our programs, our brilliant, amazing programs, and putting them front and center for all students to enjoy.”
Events like these remind us of the people and values that our school district upholds. Our job as representatives is to listen to one another to make the changes that benefit each and every one who is a part of GUSD.
Article written by Mari Abrahamyan, a dedicated student leader attending Clark Magnet High School. She is passionate about cultivating deep thought and growing through her academic work and personal projects. She seeks to inspire others by bringing meaningful ideas to life.