The Capital Region BOCES fourth annual “Elevating Student Voices” (ESV) Youth Summit was held at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, NY, on April 29 with approximately 100 students from 21 school districts from across the Capital Region in attendance.
Three DCS students participated in this year’s summit – Lucy McTiernan, Lilly Kline and Santino Bailey. Senior Jennifer Patino is also a member of DCS’ ESV chapter, but was not able to attend the event. Bailey was selected to provide a welcome speech to the student audience.
The event showcased the work students are doing to make their school communities more welcoming and inclusive, bringing together regional high school students to discuss critical issues such as mental health, equity, and school safety. This summit is part of an ongoing, year-long initiative aimed at student-led action and dialogue.
Throughout the year, ESV participants met at Capital Region BOCES’s administrative building in Albany for workshops led by Dr. Jones. They focused on topics related to microaggressions, neurodiversity, and multilingual communities. The Youth Summit showcased that extraordinary work.
This year’s summit featured a performance by the Albany Marching Falcons, a moving keynote address by City Mission of Schenectady CEO and Executive Director Michael Saccocio, Capital Region BOCES District Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer Lauren Gemmill and ESV co-creator and program consultant Dr. Eva Jones.
Bailey joined the ESV program three years ago and said it does more than give students a seat at the table. At its roots, it’s about making sure the voices of the most under-represented students are heard and valued.
“When students are empowered, schools become stronger, communities become more inclusive and issues that affect us most directly are addressed with honesty, creativity, and urgency. Whether it’s promoting equity, creating belonging, or challenging systems that leave people out. Student leaders have the power to spark real progress,” said Bailey.
“[ESV is] about recognizing that students are not the ‘future’ of change. We are part of what is happening right now. Too often, young people are told to wait our turn to wait until we’re older, more experienced, or more qualified. But this program proves the opposite. Student leadership matters now,” he added.
