Puzzle of Practice
Auburn Mountainview High School centered its YES project on IMPACT Club, a student-centered effort designed to address a clear school climate challenge: students of color needed stronger representation, more empathetic spaces, and better access to academic support.
The work began with student perception. Students were naming a lack of meaningful student-teacher relationships and a general lack of cultural awareness in the building.
The guiding challenge was:
How do we strengthen representation, create more empathetic spaces, and improve access to academic support so students of color feel empowered and more likely to succeed academically?
The YES ambassadors saw a connection between cultural empowerment, cultural awareness, stewardship, care, knowledge, student ownership, and achievement. That connection became the heart of the work.
Collective Goal
The Theory of Action
If the school intentionally elevates student voice, builds belonging, and connects students to academic supports, then students of color will feel more empowered and more likely to succeed academically.
This theory reflected the IMPACT mission: cultivating a culture of excellence where students of color are empowered, empathetic spaces are the norm, and academic success is the standard.
It also reflected the vision of a school where support is constant, every voice is heard, and achievement is limitless.
The Design Approach
IMPACT Club translated the theory of action into three connected strategies: empowering students of color, creating empathetic spaces, and supporting academic success.
The design recognized that school climate, cultural awareness, and academic support are deeply connected. Students of color were not only looking for academic help. They were looking for a school environment where representation was visible, relationships were stronger, and success was supported through belonging.
The ambassador group itself reflected the diversity and complexity of the Auburn Mountainview community. It included students across cultural backgrounds, academic performance levels, and identities as scholars, artists, athletes, natural leaders, emerging leaders, public speakers, and behind-the-scenes stewards.
Collective Action
The IMPACT Club put the theory into practice through concrete student-led actions.
- Students supported heritage month assemblies, historical POC posters across campus, and student voice at staff meetings.
- Students created empathetic spaces through an Acts of Kindness Campaign and a schoolwide charity event.
- Students supported academic success through an Academic and Attendance Initiative, expanded access to after-school tutoring, and student interviews to improve school culture.
These actions helped make representation more visible, strengthen adult understanding, and connect belonging to academic support.
Collective Impact
The evidence for IMPACT Club falls into two clear categories: why the work is needed and what students have already begun building.
Need Evidence
District and state data reinforce the need for this work:
- OSPI’s 2024–25 report card for Auburn Mountainview High School showed that 24.16% of students were “progressing” in English learner growth, while 2.24% were “proficient.”
- This points to a continuing need for targeted support, especially for students who need stronger access to academic language, belonging, and school-based supports.
- Statewide, OSPI reported that in 2025, 71% of students demonstrated foundational grade-level knowledge or above in ELA and 63% in math.
- OSPI also noted persistent opportunity and achievement gaps for historically underserved groups.
Together, these data points show why student voice, representation, belonging, and academic support cannot be treated as separate priorities.
Early Impact Evidence
At the school level, the early evidence of impact is visible in the structures students have helped create and lead.
Through IMPACT Club, students have:
- supported heritage month assemblies
- increased historical POC representation across campus
- brought student voice into staff meetings
- created empathetic spaces through kindness and charity efforts
- supported academic and attendance initiatives
- expanded access to tutoring
- conducted student interviews to improve school culture
Together, these actions show that IMPACT Club is responding to real equity and academic access needs while creating visible structures for stronger belonging, representation, student voice, and engagement.
The work is still developing, but the early indicators are clear: students are not waiting for adults to design belonging for them. They are helping build the conditions for belonging, cultural awareness, and academic success across the school.
Why YES Works
Youth Empowered Stewardship is not about adding a student club and hoping culture improves.
It is about creating structures where students help name the problem, shape the response, and build a more inclusive school community.
At Auburn Mountainview, IMPACT Club became a vehicle for student voice, cultural empowerment, empathetic space-building, and academic support. The work connected representation to relationships, belonging to achievement, and student leadership to schoolwide culture.
The case shows what becomes possible when students are not only invited to participate, but trusted to steward change.
Schools and districts across the country are seeking ways to strengthen belonging, expand student leadership, and connect school climate goals to real student experience. Youth Empowered Stewardship offers a clear pathway for doing exactly that by redesigning systems with students, families, and educators, not around them.
Move your school or district from adult-led initiatives to student-powered stewardship now!
Core Pain Points Addressed
- Students of color need stronger representation in school culture
- Need for more meaningful student-teacher relationships
- General lack of cultural awareness in the building
- Need for more empathetic spaces
- Need for stronger access to academic support
- Need to connect student voice, belonging, and achievement
- Need to expand who is seen and supported as a student leader