Bay Area & Ohio Student Voice Initiatives
Culminating Event

Thursday, September 23rd
10:00 am–12:30 pm PT / 1:00 pm–3:30 pm ET

Please join us to celebrate the completion of the formal Bay Area and Ohio Student Voice Initiatives, and learn alongside school system and foundation colleagues invested in student and stakeholder voice for improvement.

Our objectives for this culminating event are to:

Build Community: Meet and build relationships with other school, district, and foundation leaders across the two regional initiatives – Ohio and San Francisco Bay Area – committed to student and stakeholder voice.
Share Best Practices: Share – and generate – ideas, insights, and practices for using student and stakeholder feedback to inform and enhance school system and foundation effectiveness in serving students during this unique time.
Articulate Commitments for the Future: Reflect on the lessons learned and commit to next actions to continue elevating the student perspective and the role of students as leaders of this work.

History of our Work Together

In 2017, the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation convened a group of foundation leaders to explore the extent to which funders can constructively learn from the student experiences, insights, and perspectives expressed through the YouthTruth survey. As a result of this initial vision, two regional learning communities were formed: one in the San Francisco Bay Area and another in the state of Ohio.

Over the past four years, the two initiatives engaged nine foundations and 40 local education agencies (LEAs) to explore how student feedback can inform the work of not only schools and districts, but also the funders who support them.

While this school year marks the end of the formal YouthTruth-led learning communities, we are hopeful that many of the relationships, lessons, and practices formed will continue. We are excited to celebrate, reflect, and look forward with you!