Several changes are coming to Aurora Central High School next year and it wouldn't have been possible without input from two students.
Next fall, Mehran Ahmed will take over as principal at Central. But before the next school year begins, he wanted to give teachers and students an opportunity to say what they'd like to see changed.
Two students in particular, sophomores Deborah Nunu and Sharmaine White, jumped at the opportunity to have their voices heard.
"It's good to have a student voice, especially for things they are planning for the next school year because we're going to experience it every day," White said.
White and Nunu are part of the school's coherence council, which is made up of around 30 teachers, staff members, administrators and students.
Ahmed said the COVID-19 pandemic created challenges related to student engagement. To limit those challenges, he recognized the need for students to be included in administrative decisions.
"This is their school," he said. "I think back to when I was a student and nobody ever (listened to) our voice. If we can produce it from their voice, then we're really doing our job, because if we're doing it from top down then they'll feel oppressed and we don't want that to happen."
The council has met several times since January to discuss what the transition to new leadership will look like. Nunu and White relayed that information to the 45 classmates in their student leadership class.
The class is similar to student council. It is responsible for preparing for homecoming, decorating the school and organizing events, said Angelique Green, who teaches the class and serves as the school's student engagement advocate.
The biggest issue the students addressed was the school's class schedule, which consists of a block schedule where each class is 100 minutes three days a week.
The student leadership class sent out a survey to all students to ask them about the longer classes. Most answers were the same, they said.
"They are just too long," said White. "Sometimes you just zone out in the last 40 minutes and that's not good for students."
After collecting student feedback, Ahmed's administration decided to change to a more traditional schedule.
White and Nunu also encouraged the administration to make changes to the school's dress code.
"Not having a (proper dress code has led) people to dressing inappropriately and that makes adults and students uncomfortable," Nunu said.
Some students have been known to wear revealing clothing or shirts with profanity. But beginning next year, the dress code will be updated.
Wade Scott, a geography and social studies teacher at the school, said he was glad Ahmed's administration was seeking feedback from students.
"I've seen principals come in and say, 'This is where we're going to go and when the ship starts sinking we're still going to try it.' And I've seen that happen here," Scott said. "This committee and council allowed voices and concerns to be expressed and everyone got a seat at the table."
Scott was a member of the council along with Green.
White and Nunu said the experience was empowering and would like similar opportunities in the future. But for now, the administration is working on how to implement these and other changes.
Green said to see these students — whom she has known for years — give input and have a positive impact on their community was incredible.
"It's really meaningful to see students that I've known since they were 6 or 7 to evolve into people who are leading and driving change," Green said. "It's a dream come true and really been a gift."
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