Students Have a Say in School Board Elections

By David Mosca
NJ Urban News

With the Newark School Board election taking place next week, students ages 16 to 17 in Newark’s high schools will now have a say in matters that will directly affect them in their high school careers.  

Recently, the Newark Board of Education partnered with the Victoria Foundation for the new Vote16 initiative, which is meant to empower Newark’s public high schools, both district and charter and boost civic engagement among students in the upcoming school board election on April 15.  

The Victoria Foundation is also awarding cash investments to the three high schools demonstrating the highest levels of student-led civic engagement, including voter registration drives, civic education programs, and leadership initiatives.  

To push civic engagement further in high schools, schools are participating in a contest where they will earn points based on activities that promote civic education and participation, such as voter registration drives, assemblies, student-led initiatives, and other nonpartisan civic engagement efforts. The contest is not affiliated with any candidate or political party.  

A neutral committee of community leaders, education professionals, and representatives from nonpartisan organizations will review school submissions using a scoring system. 

The top three schools with the highest civic engagement scores, which will be announced during the school board election on April 15, will receive funding from the Victoria Foundation.

The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice (NJISJ), which has existed for 25 years, bridges these two organizations. 

The NJISJ saw two factors that motivated them to help launch the Vote16 initiative: attacks on what can be taught in schools and the fact that only three percent of Newark’s registered voters participated in last year’s school board election. 

New Jersey’s constitution allows cities to lower the age of voting. 

“Who better understands a crumbling infrastructure than the students that are experiencing it,” says Ryan Heygood, President and CEO of the NJISJ. “In a democracy, more people participate, not fewer.”  

Last year, the Newark City Council voted unanimously to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote in school board elections. About 6,600 Newark students gained the right to vote, with more than 91 percent being Black, Latinx, and other communities of color. 

“School Board elections define the course of our efforts to educate our youth and, in turn, define the future of our city,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “That is why we want our youth to have an active voice in charting this course by empowering them with the vote. Victoria Foundation’s competition is a dynamic effort to energize and motivate our youth to engage civically and participate in this election.”  

High school seniors Nathaniel Esubonteng, 18, and Breanna Campbell, 18, who attend Science Park High School in Newark, have worked with the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice during the Vote16 campaign.

Breanna became involved through the nonprofit organization called the Gem Project, which focuses on youth engagement and civic participation. 

Her role in the campaign includes raising awareness, advocating for lowering the voting age, and speaking on panels to explain why 16- and 17-year-olds should have the right to vote in school board elections.  

“I believe that students should absolutely have a say in matters that directly affect them,” she says. “School board decisions impact our education, resources, and future, so it only makes sense that we have a voice in choosing who makes those decisions.” 

In advocating for lowering the voting age in school board elections, Breanna has spoken at city hall, where she shared her own story and worked with others to push for change. 

“Being part of Vote16 feels powerful because we’re building something that could inspire change beyond our own district,” she says. “I hope to see more youth empowered to speak up and get involved. I want students to realize that their voices are valid, and they don’t have to wait until 18 to start making a difference.” 

For Nathaniel, it was a combination of curiosity and frustration.  

“I was the kid who always asked why,” he says. “Why does our school have broken thermostats? Why do students have to advocate just to be heard? Why do decisions that affect us never include us? I was looking for a space to make sense of the disconnect between the agency I felt internally and the limitations the system put on me externally.” 

During the campaign, Nathaniel took on the role of a student organizer and storyteller, speaking at city council meetings and helping reframe the narrative of not just voting but also about youth legitimacy.  

“It was never about convincing people that we care,” he says. “We always cared. It was about proving that we are read and that readiness doesn’t come from age but from lived experience.”  

Roger Leon, superintendent of the Newark Public Schools, hopes to encourage at least half of the students in Newark’s high schools to register by March 25. As of now, up to 2,028 students ages 16 and 17 have registered to vote.  

“This historic election provides public schools a unique opportunity to strengthen civics and encourage student engagement,” said Leon. 

“Beyond policy change, this is about empowering young people to be active participants in their community. We couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Victoria Foundation to support schools in fostering civic learning and leadership among students.”