To Our Readers

As the 2020-2021 academic year is drawing to a close, I want to congratulate all of you.

This year has required a new level of leadership in support of our students, teachers and school communities. At times, the challenges have seemed immense and the solutions have been few and far between, but I’m so proud of how we have relied on each other during this tough year and worked together to advocate for what is best for students.

Throughout this year, ACSA has pushed to hear from the students. Through student panels at our conferences, and through our online shows and networking events, many of us have had the chance to listen to student experiences and points of view. These opportunities have been inspirational and created learning opportunities for education leaders. I’m proud of what we’ve done and I’m excited about what is ahead in these pages.

For the second time, we’ve opened up our entire Leadership magazine to student writers. Every author in this publication is a California public school student who has reflected on myriad subjects during the past school year. We received nearly 100 submissions from students in elementary, middle and high schools throughout the state.

Let me preview a few of these stories.

Kaylee Ax from Ridge Crest Elementary School in Moreno Valley Unified School District talks about adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic and student leadership. Joshua Morales, a student from Desert Valley High School in the Brawley Union High School District writes about how situational changes can lead to positive outcomes.

Sophia Tadeo writes about the impact of loneliness. Emmanuel Sanmiego from Magnolia Elementary School in the Azusa Unified School District provides a guide to wellness and Henna Randhawa of Pleasant Grove High School in the Elk Grove Unified School District discusses the effort she and her classmates put together to support India’s farmers.

I hope you enjoy these articles as much as I have.

I’ve been honored to serve as your statewide ACSA president for the past year and want to thank you for your passion for the work and your commitment to our students. This edition of Leadership magazine with introspection and positivity from our students is proof that we’re doing great work in our school communities.