by Dr. Gladys I. Cruz
District Superintendent, Questar III BOCES
The November 3 election reminded us of the importance of participating in our democracy. But civic engagement extends beyond the ballot box and begins well before a student is old enough to vote.
Students can begin to practice the democratic process before they enter the voting polls. For example, in elementary school, students may help design a classroom project, practice respectful dialogue, or work together on a community initiative. Middle school students may research statewide issues, represent classmates in student government, or present recommendations to school leaders. High school students may examine broader public policy, speak at a school or town board meeting, volunteer at a community-based organization, or develop solutions to local needs.
These experiences teach young people that their voices matter and that using them responsibly requires preparation, facts and evidence, and consideration of others.
A powerful statewide example is the Angelo Del Toro Puerto Rican/Hispanic Youth Leadership Institute (PR/HYLI). For more than three decades, this enrichment program has helped more than 15,000 Hispanic and Latino high school students develop leadership skills and understand how government works. Students from Columbia, Greene, and Rensselaer counties participate alongside hundreds of peers from throughout New York each year.
Students research legislation, practice public speaking, learn parliamentary procedure, and prepare to debate bills at regional workshops held afterschool or on the weekends. Their yearlong experiential program culminates in a statewide institute that includes a mock assembly in the State Assembly Chamber, where they debate active state bills in front of elected officials.
Some PR/HYLI students earn college credit in a public speaking course in partnership with colleges, such as Hudson Valley Community College and CUNY. Many students also qualify to receive a NYS Seal of Civic Readiness and/or NYS Seal of Biliteracy on their high school diploma through their work in this program.
Selected student delegates extend their learning through experiences with federal representatives in Washington, D.C. in June and at the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico in November. SOMOS Inc., a longtime supporter of PR/HYLI, brings together government and community leaders – including the Governor, Attorney General, and State Comptroller – for policy discussions and workshops.
Earlier this month, PR/HYLI students participated in a SOMOS panel facilitated by their peer Dalilah Massey, a senior at Tech Valley High School, located at the University at Albany. By placing students at the center of the conversation, the panel demonstrated why youth perspectives belong in public policy debates. Young people bring firsthand knowledge of their generation’s challenges, from social media and mental health to preparing for college and careers in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence. They deserve opportunities to help shape the decisions affecting their futures.
These opportunities connect directly with NY Inspires and the New York State Portrait of a Graduate. The Portrait recognizes civic engagement as an essential part of preparing students for life. It identifies six interconnected attributes: academically prepared, a creative innovator, a critical thinker, an effective communicator, a global citizen, and reflective and future focused.
Programs like PR/HYLI put these attributes into practice. Researching legislation requires academic knowledge and critical thinking. Developing solutions calls for creativity. Presenting and defending a position builds communication skills. Weighing a policy’s effects develops civic responsibility. Reflection helps students understand how legislation affects them individually and collectively.
Under the State Education Department’s implementation plan, students graduating in 2028 will no longer be required to pass a prescribed set of Regents exams to graduate. The Regents exams will continue to be offered along with broader measures of academic achievement and continue to serve as a federal accountability measure.
This shift makes meaningful demonstrations of learning increasingly important. PR/HYLI offers an example: students apply knowledge, evaluate evidence, defend conclusions, and respond to different perspectives. These experiences require rigor, clear expectations, and evidence of each student’s learning and participation.
PR/HYLI shows how the state’s vision can come to life when students apply their learning to issues that matter. Our responsibility is to provide opportunities like these throughout every student’s educational career. As we move forward with NY Inspires, preparing students for informed, engaged citizenship must remain central to our schools’ mission.