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Student representatives tell Issaquah board Day on the Hill reinforced value of civic voice
Summary
Student delegates who visited Olympia described positive meetings with legislators and said personal stories on special education and other topics made an impression on lawmakers, prompting board members to call for broader student preparation for advocacy.
Students who represented Issaquah School District at the recent Day on the Hill told the board their meetings with state lawmakers were a meaningful civic experience and reinforced the impact of student voice on policy discussions.
Krish, one of the student representatives, said he initially expected to listen but found he was asked to speak and that the experience "was overall really positive," including a follow‑up engagement by a senator who returned to the students as they were about to leave. Other student representatives echoed that legislators listened closely to personal stories about special education and other priorities and that the day increased their sense that they could influence policy.
Board members praised the students' preparation and poise and discussed ways to prepare future student representatives, including better identification of which legislator they would meet and focused practice on message delivery. Several directors said the district should continue the format used this year — meeting legislators on a separate day from the statewide Day on the Hill — because it allowed more concentrated interactions.
The district's superintendent and other staff thanked the students and the staff who coordinated meetings with legislators. The board said the students' presentations and feedback should inform the district's advocacy and student‑voice programs going forward.
