Student Voices United is a unique opportunity for students in Madera high schools to lead positive school-wide change. The program was officially launched in the Fall semester of 2017 in the city’s two high schools, and we opened our newest class at Matida Torres High School in the 2023/2024 school year. Unlike after school or lunchtime clubs, the program is structured as a school elective, and students receive class credit for participating.
Drawing on the yli model for youth leadership development, Student Voices United at Madera South High School and Madera High School have led work on a wide range of issues to support youth in their communities. Some examples are access to healthy foods, mental health support on high school campuses, traffic and student safety, as well as racially just reform within Madera Unified School District.