Student Voice & Engagement
YSD Student Senate
YSD Student Senate 2025–26: Student Voices in Action
The Yakima School District Student Senate is a districtwide leadership group that gives students a direct voice in shaping decisions that affect their education and school experience. Now in its third year, the Senate was established to bring YSD’s Student Voice Policy to life — a policy written by students, for students — ensuring that every major district initiative includes authentic student input.
Student Senators meet with YSD leaders throughout the year to share perspectives from their schools, identify common goals, and collaborate on solutions that promote belonging, equity, and engagement across all campuses. The Senate’s work has helped shape communication practices, mental health supports, and district-wide events that center student experience.
A Partner in Student Leadership
The YSD Student Senate meets four times per year at Baker Boyer Bank, our proud business partner in student leadership. We extend our gratitude to Brad Hansen and the Baker Boyer Bank team for generously hosting and supporting this work.
Congratulations to Our 2025–26 Student Senators
(listed by first name, last initial)
A.C. Davis High School
Joaquin S., James T., Martin L., Juliett M., Guadalupe L., Alina M., Citlali E., Brenda O., Yazmine S., Giovanni T., Natalie E., Theron C., Genesis B., Cesar V., Rosita R., Tehya W., Michael D., Sora M., Jaylin R., Patrick C., Anderson F., Isabel C.
Eisenhower High School
Adeline C., Gladys I., Daniel G., Ilse A., Jazzlyn B., Yamilet T., Joshua M., Zaid M., Allie L., America L., Rene I., Ruth M., Haley M.
Stanton Academy
Karla D., Jayden R., Jeremy P., Alijah S., Jennifer G., Andrew R.
Yakima Online (YOL)
Representative not appointed for 2025–26
Middle School Representatives (8th Grade)
Faith L. – Wilson
Janett M. – Wilson
Jaselle G. – Washington
Evelyn R. – Washington
Ellyette E. – Lewis & Clark
Alayna G. – Lewis & Clark
Jessica S. – Franklin
John W. – Franklin
Each of these students is helping to strengthen communication between schools and district leadership, ensuring that student voice continues to inform YSD’s direction and priorities.
Stay tuned on ParentSquare and social media for updates from the YSD Student Senate throughout the year.
#YSDStudentSenate
Questions?
Kirsten Fitterer, Executive Director of Communications and Engagement
509-573-7000
About Student Voice
The Yakima School District believes that students are leaders in their education, deserve the right to feel safe and empowered in their school environment, and have valuable insights and opinions. We believe that the Yakima School District needs Student Voice to promote educational engagement, academic achievement, self-growth, and civic participation. The Yakima School District official definition of student voice is: the authentic communication of all students' perspectives and ideas, where students are empowered and student voice structures are implemented by the whole school community to advance educational equity for generations to come.
The Yakima School District meets collectively with a group of high school students to guide systemic work in the district. Students meet directly with board members, the superintendent, and community leaders. They provide their unique perspective, planning, and execution on district programming, bringing their unique perspectives to the table. This work is codesigned between students and staff and is intentionally student-led, with students choosing priorities, solutions, and next steps.
The Student Senate is made up of committees to which one is the is led by a small group of students who create agendas, plan implementation, and present to other students. These students meet more regularly and work more frequently with the board and superintendent. Historically, these students have led their peers in presenting on school resource officers, balanced calendars, and student voice initiatives. They have also facilitated students, staff, and community members in crafting the YSD Equity Policy, and a first of its kind Student Voice Policy.
Students across the district, mostly at the elementary level, have participated in student voice circles. Student voice circles are small student groups where students share their lived experiences, hopes, and dreams with teachers and school admin. After these sessions, the student stories are used to guide change at the school and district level. This work can be done shoulder to shoulder with students or by district staff. Student voice circles have resulted in accelerated facility upgrades, specialized learning weeks, student support adjustments, and classroom practice adjustments.
Students are in the middle of drafting the measures for the existing Student Voice Policy. This policy commits the district to involving students in planning their own education alongside staff while also having a say in the structures and systems of the district. It is our belief that students have the deepest and closest read on what is needed to improve our education system and, as such, they should be integral in improving the system. When students are involved in change, they also become more engaged and invested in the system. You can read the existing Student Voice Policy here.
