Student & Community Impact
SPB builds stronger school communities and develops students’ critical thinking, communication, problem-solving skills, and agency. SPB has the potential to transform Arizona’s civic health by developing a pipeline of civic leaders who are more informed, equipped, and empowered to participate in civic life for the long term.
Read what students and educators say about SPB’s impact below:
“ [S]PB changed my views; I saw that not only can I change the campus, but I can also change other students’ lives. It really made us feel like we are in charge of this, and we are very important people, and our voices are being heard. ”– Tayiza, Cesar Chavez High School (2019)
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“ [S]PB taught me to make new friends and be more open to new ideas.”– Lucy, Carl Hayden High School (2019)
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“ The initiative is helping us to create an environment that nurtures leadership in our students, promotes civic engagement, and builds community throughout every school within our district. ”– Dr. Chad Gestson, Superintendent, Phoenix Union High School District (2017)
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“ When I get older, I still want to be seeing what’s wrong with my community, coming up with ways to fix it, and then acting upon it. That’s what I like doing, I just never really got the chance to act upon it until now with [S]PB.”– Alma, Carl Hayden High School (2017)
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“ We’re leaving something behind that we were able to make happen. ”– Elementary Student, Roosevelt School District (2023)
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“ Our students, they’re why we’re here, and it’s really important that we honor their voice. I believe by involving them in decision-making, they’ll feel more ownership and connectedness to the school community.”– Michael Penca, Superintendent, Flagstaff Unified School District (2024)
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“ What I’ve enjoyed the most is seeing what students are able to do once we give them a platform and an opportunity to express their voices.”– Social Studies Instructional Coach, Queen Creek Unified School District (2024)
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“ In thinking about the School PB process, I admire the degree to which the students get involved in the school’s and district-level decision-making processes. The more that we can make the students aware of their civic duty and how the school system works, so they’re not just floating through their school years, it makes them more interested and invested in their own high school career and more tied into the school. I think it is all exciting and positive.”– District Level Coordinator, Flagstaff Unified School District (2024)
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Hear directly from students and educators about how SPB has made an impact in their schools:
Student Voices
Teacher Perspectives
Administrator Perspectives
