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By Madison A. Aboud, Melissa Krainer and Emmalee Martyak

The administration of Altoona Area High School in Altoona, Pa., is assiduous in its support of student-led publications, giving its students a chance to thrive in their school and community advocacy.

What began decades ago as two standalone classes in yearbook and newspaper has grown and thrived under the current administration to include four levels of newspaper and yearbook and an introductory course. Two standout publications embedded in those classes are the student-led Mountain Echo newspaper and the Horseshoe yearbook.

The newspaper鈥檚 editorial team strives to live up to the high standards of scholastic journalism while keeping the school and Altoona community informed. The highly esteemed newspaper, published daily as a digital-only publication, has been recognized for its quality in state and national scholastic journalism competitions. Through continuous efforts to maintain objectivity and provide accurate coverage in reporting, the newspaper staff assures all community voices are heard.

Similar to the Mountain Echo, the student-led Horseshoe yearbook publishes a 300-page book and supplement each year. The yearbook is the official record of the school year and documents the happenings of the building as well as the current trends and student opinions.

Unhindered Coverage

Our publications are free of censorship, and all reporters have the opportunity to cover relevant topics that pique their interest. Throughout the years, coverage has included local and national politics, school and district policies, both positive and negative reviews of social, economic and political viewpoints, highlights of individual and group achievements and objective coverage of newsworthy events.

Through the growing use of podcasts and columns, staff members enjoy opportunities to express views without interference from editors, advisers or school administration and welcome letters to the editor from the school community.

Outside the publication room, staff members grow as writers through participation in district-supported workshops and state and national conferences. Journalists have attended the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association convention, as well as the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association conventions, learning practical skills to improve writing and coverage of the student body as a whole.

As members of the Pennsylvania School Press Association, publication members participate in yearly critiques and timed writing contests, receiving direct feedback from judges. School district approval was never in doubt when taking advantage of these opportunities, allowing student voices at Altoona Area High School to grow, learn and thrive.

Administrator Trust

Open forum publications ensure the continued trust of the administrative team without Pennsylvania government involvement. While student journalists work tirelessly in pursuit of passing a statewide New Voices law to formalize the rights of student journalists as has taken place in 18 other states, Altoona students enjoy those rights now.

We strive to report school news accurately, vividly and in a way that encapsulates what it is like to be an Altoona Mountain Lion. This goal is accomplished only if we include all voices in the school community. Reporter Melissa Krainer has spearheaded Mountain Echo coverage by pushing her fellow reporters to write about religious diversity and student wellness, contributing to significantly increased readership. We鈥檝e published articles about an alternative education program, a community sled hockey team for individuals with physical disabilities, an autism awareness walk, foreign exchange students and the lasting impact of a former Altoona volleyball player who died from brain cancer.

Trust is implicit to covering topics of a sensitive nature, such as the state budget impasse鈥檚 impact on our school district, school lockdowns and the Altoona homeless population. Our editorial board has been critical of district and administrative decisions, as well as larger political stances. We鈥檝e endorsed a local political candidate and editorialized about school safety drills.

Without the Altoona administration鈥檚 trust, student publications would not be able to thrive. All final decisions for both our yearbook and newspaper have made by their respective editors, without administrative pre-approval or interference. This relationship between student journalists and the district supports student voice at our school. 

Madison Aboud is a senior and editor in chief of the Mountain Echo at Altoona Area High School in Altoona, Pa., where Melissa Krainer is reporter and Emmalee Martyak is associate editor. They can be reached through adviser Wanda Vanish.

By Micah M. Mitchell

Ever since I was a kid, I was curious about the whys in life. You could hardly tell me anything without me wanting to know the reason be-hind it. I soon learned that most adult figures didn鈥檛 like kids asking why. They considered it disrespectful. The best thing to do was to take their instruction or guidance at face value.

I went through the motions that were expected of me. Wake up, go to school, come home, do homework, sleep and repeat. I was a ritualist with good grades who survived off the crumbs of validation I got for doing what was expected of me.

One thing about rituals is that they鈥檙e monotonous and exhausting. By the time I got to high school, I was burnt out. Fresh out of the pandemic, I was determined to live the life I wanted, not what others expected.

Taking Us Seriously

In my junior year of high school, I was invited to apply to the Superintendent鈥檚 Student Advisory Council in the Dearborn Public Schools in Michigan. This board meets monthly to ensure the superintendent is aware of the issues affecting the student body. It operates on the beliefs that students could become better informed about the school district鈥檚 logistical inner workings and decision-making processes and that students ought to have the capacity to self-advocate and lead initiatives they care about.

The existence of this board, made up of 15-20 student representatives (2-3 per school), seemed unreal to me. For most of my life, I had believed I wouldn鈥檛 be taken seriously by adults, no matter how valuable I believed my input could be. I jumped at the chance and was ecstatic when notified I had been accepted for a year of service.

During my time on the board, I was astounded by all the student-led projects that were proposed and launched as long-term initiatives of the district. These dealt with mental health awareness, vaping cessation, cultural history and appreciation, community service and safe driving. You name the issue, there was a passionate student on the board willing to advocate for it.

Our Own Solutions

In recent years, the school community has experienced several teen reckless-driving accidents, some resulting in serious injuries and deaths. The Superintendent鈥檚 Student Advisory Council formed a group of students to tackle the issue, and I was appointed as the lead. Students can level with each other in a way that adults can鈥檛. It鈥檚 essential to have representation from the demographic you are targeting.

Since last spring, I鈥檝e scheduled and led virtual meetings for us to discuss the initiative, then distributed summaries to members who missed the meetings. We put together a variety of solutions, such as a social media campaign, school visits and presentations and a plan for a safe driving event for the district. In our search for funding and practical resources, we established partnerships with multiple organizations, such as the Rotary Club of Dearborn and the Dearborn Police Department, and I followed up and established a pattern of consistent contact to ensure that our cause was taken seriously.

Together, we came up with a plan for the event that included driving instructors and the police chief to discuss reckless driving, then allowing the students to participate in activities such as driving simulators and road law trivia to win raffle prizes. We also are hosting a Safe Driving Video competition this spring with a $500 college scholarship prize.

Movements and revolutions start with the youth. Those whom society has not yet beaten down have immense motivation to change the status quo. School districts, such as Dearborn Public Schools, that foster leadership and encourage advocacy among their students are paving the way for future revolutionaries.

Micah Mitchell is a 13th-year student at Henry Ford Early College in Dearborn, Mich.

By Addison S. Mawyer

The Teen Summit has been a constant in my life for the past three years at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Va. It began with hearing a presentation by fellow students about burnout, a test-run given by my leadership class to prepare for the conference.

The annual Teen Summit, now in its fourth year, is a free event for middle and high school students and parents, sponsored by the Chesapeake Public Schools Office of Family and Community Engagement. The summit focuses on youth leadership, mental health and stress management, featuring presentations organized and led by students. We also can listen to presentations by leaders across the city, obtain information about high school and college opportunities and more.

I was made aware of this annual event, usually conducted on a Saturday in February or March, during my sophomore year when my school was the host. I volunteered, helped attendees and had my interest piqued. The following year, as student council vice president at my school, I was given the chance to be a student presenter. Since then, I have been involved in planning and running the program.

Unexpected Results

I have contributed to the conference in several ways. Now as the Great Bridge student council president, I鈥檝e attended monthly meetings citywide. Student councils take on a plethora of topics that relate to students. This year, my vice presidents and I have chosen something every upperclassman has begged us to take on: college readiness from the student perspective.

Previously, at the Teen Summit I have presented on how students can avoid stress related to school. Others have talked about anxiety management, balancing sports with academics and even encouraging inclusion using a theme from the coming-of-age Netflix series 鈥淪tranger Things.鈥�

Ultimately, almost every presentation made at the Teen Summit is proposed, created and delivered by students from the district鈥檚 seven high schools.

The Teen Summit gives voice to students across the district, sometimes in unexpected ways. One such opportunity fulfilled a dream of mine to be on television. Student representatives from each participating school were invited to deliver a segment on the Teen Summit to Chesapeake Thrives, a local network in Chesapeake. In doing so, the event reached new heights. The segment was posted on Canvas pages across the city, while YouTube aired the show and student ideas received attention among new audiences.

Visible Priorities

As a regular participant in the Teen Summit, I鈥檝e had access to events and skill building I never thought possible. For one, providing a voice for the students at Great Bridge High School to administrators, the superintendent and the chief of schools has allowed me to harness my leadership skills. I鈥檝e also learned public speaking and how to adapt to unanticipated challenges thrown my way.

The impact reaches beyond just me. Throughout the school district, the Teen Summit has allowed greater authenticity and stronger relationships between students and administrators. The Teen Summit has encouraged more students to speak up and propose ideas to decision makers at the district level. Students from elementary school to high school are being heard by education leaders, increasing trust across the city and creating meaningful connections.

Through the annual Teen Summit, I can tell what our school district鈥檚 priorities are: student voice, school culture and engagement across grade levels. The discussions with students have led to district leaders receiving feedback on policies such as safety, technology initiatives, and mental health supports.

Elevating student voice is vital in every school. I have seen firsthand how Chesapeake has raised my voice along with hundreds of others. Through the program鈥檚 culture and engagement, I am excited to see how the Teen Summit will kick start the new normal: students becoming the leading voice in school culture. 

Addison Mawyer is a senior at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Va.

By Danielle E. Doyle

As a senior at Bowsher High School in Toledo, Ohio, who is involved with SMARTS (Students Making Achievements Right This Second), I can attest to the importance of student advocacy. During the past few years, SMARTS has been a force for tangible positive changes that have made a difference for me and my peers.

When I started high school, mental health wasn鈥檛 a topic that students spoke about openly. Many of us were struggling with stress, anxiety, relationship issues at home or academic pressures coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it felt like we were on our own to manage it. That changed through SMARTS, a support program started by the Toledo Public Schools.

By giving students a voice and empowering us to share how we were really feeling, our group helped the district understand what students needed to succeed. Collectively, the group at our high school came together at least once a month and we shared ideas in a peer-to-peer setting.

Break Spaces

One of the most visible changes to come from this work was the development of the DeVilbiss Wellness Room. Students from several high schools in Toledo Public Schools who participate in SMARTS advocated for a calming space that students could use to step away during the school day when they needed a break 鈥� instead of shutting down or acting out and getting in trouble for something that might actually be a symptom of depression, anxiety or stress.

That recovery space became a reality in fall 2025 for students at three schools who are able to use the DeVilbiss Wellness Room. It was exciting to see something we advocated for become a reality. It showed me that the student voice does matter.

The SMARTS group also normalized conversations about mental health. When students were the ones leading the discussion and sharing their experiences at our districtwide meetings with other SMARTS groups during the school day, it didn鈥檛 feel so unusual or frightening to talk about what we were going through. I鈥檝e noticed that more students are comfortable seeking help now, whether that鈥檚 talking to a school counselor, a trusted teacher or a friend.

Joint Efforts

The thing that stands out the most is that SMARTS fostered a connection between students and the school district鈥檚 administration. Instead of district leaders guessing what we needed or how we were feeling, they asked us. That established trust. It showed us the district leadership is concerned about more than just our scores on state tests or exams. They are concerned about us as individuals.

As I move toward graduation, I feel proud knowing that SMARTS has made a positive difference for my peers at Bowsher High School and other high schools within Toledo Public Schools. The changes we鈥檝e brought about show that when students are given the space to speak up and district leaders listen, positive developments can follow. SMARTS went beyond conversation to help us identify genuine solutions. 

Danielle Doyle is a senior at Bowsher High School in Toledo, Ohio.