A recent morning meeting at Bosque School reminded all of us adults in the room of the power of teenagers with a cause. Nearly a dozen upper school students spoke to their peers about the need for individuals to take an active role in our in our democracy after they had witnessed for themselves, earlier that morning, the impressive result of standing up for something in which they wholeheartedly believe. Following the older students’ remarks, a group of middle schoolers demonstrated maturity beyond their chronological years as they spoke to the upper school community on the causes, symptoms, and treatment of breast cancer, and offered us ways that we could join in the fight against this dreaded disease.
For over a year now, a battle has been ranging on the use of a significant piece of land adjacent to Bosque School. The owners of the land have sought to create a development that would include a Walmart “big box” store. Under the threat of a lawsuit, school officials have been unable to speak out publicly concerning this development. However, people all over Albuquerque, neighbors close to the proposed development, and local business owners have made their voices heard, with the vast majority in opposition. Similarly, Bosque students have protested the possible construction of a “big box” store at this location.
From 1:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon, October 18 until 1:00 a.m. Friday morning, October 19, the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) heard testimony from a variety of people and listened to the staff recommendations to deny permits for this project. At approximately 5:00 in the evening, a group of our students, who had received no guidance from the school and repeatedly said that although they were Bosque students, they were speaking as concerned citizens, eloquently testified on the reasons they believe that this development violates state ordinances. Citing statutes by number and quoting directly from the ordinances, the teenagers gave compelling testimony for why, in their opinion, this development should not proceed. Even under questioning from the commissioners, the students maintained their poise and presented the facts. Throughout the rest of the evening, the commissioners and members of the audience commented on and even cited the compelling testimony of the students. Perhaps most impressively, many of the students who testified were Bosque seniors, who could have easily opted to direct their energies elsewhere since they will be leaving our campus in just over six months. We could not have been any more proud of them.
As the evening progressed and the suspense built, many students remained until the bitter end. When the commission voted 5-2 in the wee hours of the morning to accept the staff recommendation and deny the permit for the project, the students saw the power of their advocacy. We could have spent years teaching our students civics classes and never have approached the value of the real life lesson they learned that evening. When the students gave impromptu comments at morning meeting, less than a six hours after many of them had gone to bed, they told their schoolmates of the need to be critical consumers of the news, which will enable them to have the knowledge and power to speak up for their beliefs. One student shared a story about a woman who approached her the previous night and said that the Bosque students had restored her faith in youth. If this had been the only item at morning meeting that day, it would still have been a powerful experience.
However, it was to be followed by several female members of the Bosque middle school Student Government giving a presentation that they, my assistant, and I had worked on and presented the previous day to the middle school. The students had performed all of the research themselves, including sending my assistant more information late into the evening the night before the presentation because they were so excited to have learned more. These six, seventh, and eighth grade girls had worked long and hard to give factual information on breast cancer, and they wanted their schoolmates to know not only the facts but also how to help others who were struck with the disease. Their remarks were interesting and informative, and the upper school students that morning were impressed and proud of their younger schoolmates. Several adults told me that they were close to tears as they listened to the students, ranging in age from eleven to eighteen years old, speak on the need for all of us to be concerned and involved.
Unfortunately in this day and age, all too many adults, like the elderly woman who approached our students at the hearing, have lost faith in our youth. For a variety of reasons, they don’t respect or believe in them. If every person who questions the passion and the energy of today’s teens could have seen our Bosque students at the EPC hearing or those students at morning meeting the next day, they would recognize that when young men and young women are presented with a challenge, are given the opportunity to study and learn the facts of a situation, and then are able to speak out on the things in which they believe, they are as articulate and as convincing as any grownup.
The night of the hearing, many adults approached me and told me that as the Head of Bosque School I must have been very proud of our students. I told them I was, but I also let them know that I was not surprised. I have the good fortune to spend every day around passionate young men and women who have firm convictions. I wish the same for every adult who has yet to experience young people who are determined and devoted to making their world a better place, and who are given a chance to speak out on the things in which they believe.
