What students can learn from local leaders

As a student at Weston High School, I’m not yet able to vote in local elections. But the decisions made by the School Committee about curriculum, schedules, and student support affect students like me every day.

So if students can’t vote, what can we do?

We can start by learning how leaders think and make decisions.

Through the Teen Exec Podcast, I recently had the opportunity to interview both candidates for the Weston School Committee. We asked each of them the same set of questions, not to compare policies, but to understand how they approach leadership and decision-making. One thing that stood out to me is that leadership isn’t just about having opinions. It’s about making thoughtful decisions when there are real tradeoffs. It’s about listening, asking good questions, and being able to explain your reasoning.

Even for students who aren’t voting yet, this still matters. These are the same skills we’re learning ourselves: how to make decisions, stay organized, and think through challenges. Local elections might not get the same attention as national ones, but they shape our day-to-day experience in school. For students, they’re also a chance to start thinking more intentionally about leadership.

We may not have a vote this year, but we can still engage and learn from the process.

This reflection was originally published as a letter to the editor of the Weston Observer.