|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
High school students from East Palo Alto and Redwood City, part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, participated in a field trip to Sacramento as part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s national Days of Advocacy program.
The visit aimed to inspire students through direct interaction with the legislative process and community leaders.
The trip included activities to immerse the students in state government and community advocacy. They met with legislators and aides, toured the State Capitol, and attended workshops addressing pressing community issues. One highlight was a Career Roundtable session with professionals who shared their backgrounds, providing relatable role models for the students.
Sarahi, a senior at Sequoia High School, found the experience of meeting elected officials particularly valuable.
“(Meeting elected officials) was a good way to make connections and learn about the people who represent us,” she said, recalling her interactions with State Assembly member Marc Berman, Senior Advisor Lizette Mata, and California State Sen. Josh Becker. “You learn so much from them, especially hearing about their experience and knowing what motivates them.”
The Career Roundtable featured notable professionals, including Ana Taukolo, Associate Executive Director at Alliance for Education Solutions; Michael Lucien, Chief of Staff to California Assemblymember Reggie Jones Sawyer; Simone Braithwaite, Communications Director for California Assemblymember Kevin McCarty; Cochise Silva, Artist and Engineer at UC Berkeley; and Taylor Cole, Model and Actress.
Talaya, a student transferring from Menlo-Atherton High School to Middle College, was particularly inspired by the session.
“I experienced a lot of minorities in power speaking up on the adversity they faced and how they got to where they are. I feel like that’s relatable, because it means the rest of the people in minority races can do it, as well,” she said.
“In the career session, Ana was very big on letting her Tongan culture be known. I liked her passion to want to get her culture out more, because that’s something I want to do as an African-American person.”
In addition to networking, the students participated in workshops that tackled issues like rent increases, gentrification, and homelessness.
Zoe, a sophomore at Menlo-Atherton High School, viewed the trip as an opportunity to advocate for her community.
“Just by gathering our knowledge about the situations and making a plan, I feel like that’s helping us get more people involved in the community,” she said.
Students such as Evelin, a freshman at Oxford Day Academy, and Emili, a sophomore at Menlo-Atherton High School, addressed local concerns through brainstorming sessions.
“We had a session where we pitched in ideas on how to fix things in our community: gentrification, landlord mistreatment, homelessness, and underage substance abuse,” Evelin explained.
Emili added, “It was interesting to hear what different communities were going through. Our group talked about gentrification. I’ve been here most of my life, but I went away for a while, and when I came back, I noticed it changed.”
The sense of community and advocacy left a lasting impression on the students. Gicelle, a senior at Woodside High School, appreciated the collective effort to address societal issues.
“Overall, I just liked being in community with people from all over California, coming together to talk about the issues going on in our cities,” she said. She was particularly inspired by her connection with Lizette Mata, a first-generation student like herself.
“We talked about a lot of topics, and one of them was citizenship. I felt like I really connected with her,” she added.
Omakase World Market brings diverse array of dining options to South San Francisco campus June 16, 2026 12:42 pm
Change of plans: Research campus to leave Menlo Park, make way for more housingJune 12, 2026 6:46 pm