Message from the President: Supporting Students in the Study and Practice of Democracy
Nothing is more wonderful than the art of being free, but nothing is harder to learn how to use than freedom.
— Alexis de Tocqueville
“Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”
—Thurgood Marshall
As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, I find myself returning to the words of political philosophers and civil rights leaders—not only as a student of democracy, but also as someone who came of age in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when local, national, and global events shaped my understanding of how fragile and contested democracy can be.
With my friends I watched the Berlin Wall come down, signaling that collective civic action could dismantle even the most entrenched systems. In the same year, students gathered in Tiananmen Square, showing the world both the courage of youth—and the cost of speaking truth to power. The end of apartheid and the moral leadership of Nelson Mandela demonstrated that justice can be pursued without surrendering humanity, a belief that has shaped how I understand leadership and responsibility ever since.
Growing up in France, my political education unfolded not just through global events, but through lived civic engagement, including writing for the student newspaper. Youth-led movements like the March for Equality and against Racism, inspired by the work and leadership of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S., and SOS Racisme, with its distinctive “Touche pas à mon pote” (“Don’t touch my friend”) message, brought questions of belonging, race, and responsibility into public view.
The Importance of Meaning Making
What mattered then was not that I had all the answers. It was that I had people I could talk to, that I felt agency to act, and that there were spaces with my peers and with trusted and respected adults in which I could make meaning of the events unfolding around me.
These experiences shaped how I understand the role of education and the purpose of school—not simply as a place of learning or as a pathway to economic opportunity, but as one of the few institutions capable of cultivating civic agency, moral courage, and collective responsibility.
That is precisely what our young people need today.
From Minneapolis to Los Angeles, young people have made clear what Tocqueville understood long ago: Democracy must be practiced, and its vitality depends on people who can interpret their moment, speak with clarity, and act with purpose. Today’s students are growing up with disturbing images, rapid technological change, and deep uncertainty that shapes their lives in real and profound ways. Whether they are grappling with the fear that immigration raids have introduced into their homes and schools, confronting the crisis of housing instability, or trying to understand how climate change and artificial intelligence will shape their futures, they are navigating a volatile civic and economic landscape with existential implications.
At the Stuart Foundation, we believe that high schools have a unique role to play in this process: Not to be political or partisan, but to prepare young people to do the hard work, as Tocqueville says, of using their freedom wisely and productively. That means helping young people understand current events in the context of history. It means building the capacity of students to discern credible information from lies, to reason critically, and to communicate clearly and persuasively. It means supporting students as they practice democracy—by providing authentic leadership opportunities in school, community-connected learning experiences, and formal and informal platforms and opportunities for young people to act.
These civic capacities are not separate from economic readiness; they are foundational to it. The skills required to sustain a democratic society—critical thinking, collaboration, curiosity, compassion, ethical judgment, adaptability, and problem solving—are the same skills young people will need to achieve meaningful work in a rapidly evolving economy. No matter what course their future takes after high school, all paths require these fundamental orientations and abilities.
As I shared in my last letter, California has made an important down payment on rethinking high school to better meet student needs. To this we say “bravo.” We know there is still significant work ahead to create a truly equitable and coherent system that will prepare young people for their futures. That’s why throughout the year, we will be returning to this theme of transforming educational experiences for adolescents through high school and in the critical years of transition after graduation. We’ll share examples that illustrate what’s possible, elevate the voices of young people calling for change, and highlight research that informs our work.
We’ll also be mining history to deepen our understanding of the path forward. In honor of the Foundation’s 40 years of advancing equitable opportunities in California, we’re launching a series of interviews with partners whose vision and leadership have shaped education policy and practice across the state. We’re looking back both to acknowledge and celebrate the individuals and organizations whose work has made a difference in the lives of young people and to help inform what comes next.
To ground the series, today we’ve posted an interview with Stuart Foundation Board Chair Dwight L. Stuart and Vice Chair Elbridge H. Stuart III. Together they reflect on the Foundation’s work and the principles that have guided a decades-long commitment to investing in organizations that work to create opportunities and cultivate the potential of all young people in California.
We are profoundly grateful for the privilege of contributing to the long arc of change and for the partnership with each of you that keeps our sights firmly set on the just and equitable opportunities our students need and deserve.
In solidarity,
Sophie
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Stories of Promise and Progress
With each Update, we share examples of how policies, practices, and innovative solutions and strategies are advancing equitable education opportunities for adolescents in California. Explore the resources below to learn more about how Californians are cultivating thriving for the state’s nearly 5.25 million adolescents. As always, we encourage you to share your stories. What’s giving you hope? Where are you seeing systems and practices shift to support thriving? Share your stories of change and challenge with stories@stuartfoundation.org.
This month, we highlight the leadership of young people who are effecting positive changes in their communities and tip our hat to the adults who support and nurture their development.
Youth leading on climate policy
In January, we had the honor and pleasure of joining the graduation ceremony for Ten Strands’ third cohort of the California Youth Climate Policy Leadership program, which empowers high school students to take climate action. The event was a celebration of the work and contributions of student leaders throughout the state, who presented their projects as part of the program and received feedback from peers, mentors, and partners. The diverse cohort included Aahaan Jain, a 14-year-old student at Lynbrook High School in the Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD), whose personal experience with air quality issues compelled him to launch a project to pass a climate resolution in his district. After meeting with local elected officials, garnering support from environmental organizations and fellow students, and presenting his proposal to the FUHSD board, Aahaan’s resolution was unanimously approved. Looking ahead, Aahaan wants to focus on implementation of the resolution, help other districts pass similar resolutions, and get more involved in state climate action.
Youth leveraging technology to respond to pressing needs
Young people are also leveraging their tech skills to advance change and inform their community. For example, Julian Miramontes, an 8th grade student in Eastside Los Angeles, was recognized for his work to create a “Know Your Rights” app that outlines key information about rights related to immigration policies and enforcement. Julian won the Congressional App Challenge for California’s 34th Congressional District. The nationwide contest awards the creativity and skill of students across the country who use computer science to develop apps across a wide range of topics. In Los Angeles, where immigration enforcement activities have significantly impacted many students and families, this is a powerful example of a young person, with support from educators, using their skills to take action to protect and inform their community.
Riverside invests in student leadership and voice
In December, the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD) hosted a Civics Soapbox event, during which students shared powerful messages about the issues they are passionate about and offered solutions to pressing problems. Presentations focused on a range of topics, from air pollution to the proliferation of plastic waste to other social justice issues. RUSD has prioritized civic engagement, including through the State Seal of Civic Engagement and its partnership with Mikva Challenge, which supports teachers in integrating civic education and action into academic classes.
Celebrating Black youth leadership during Black History Month
In a recent blog, the National Center for Youth Law reminds us of the role of youth leadership and action in advancing civil and human rights in the United States. From the Children’s Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963 to today’s efforts to address the disproportionate impact of exclusionary discipline policies in schools, young people are at the forefront of envisioning and demanding just policies and practices. “Black students,” note the authors, are “reshaping education systems to be more inclusive and responsive to student needs,” including challenging practices that disproportionately impacted Black students, advocating for more inclusive and supportive learning environments, and for culturally responsive teaching and learning.
Classes that teach and honor Black history and leadership
A recent video segment about AP African American Studies from KVIE/Inside California Education highlights how two California high schools are making plain that “African American history is American history,” as one educator in the segment notes. AP African American Studies is an interdisciplinary course that brings together history, art, music, political science, and other areas of study focused on African and African American history and culture. The course was first piloted in 2022 and is now taught in more than 115 schools in California. Susan Miller Dorsey High School in Los Angeles County was the first public high school in California to offer the course. Brennen, a 12th grade student at Dorsey, shared her perspective on the importance of the course: “I can learn about something that’s not only true, it relates to me and makes me feel empowered to learn about my culture.”
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