Because of his popularity, the 33-year teaching veteran and native Mandarin speaker was recently named the 2024 Idaho Language Teacher of the Year.

Not only have students taken his class, but his International Baccalaureate (IB) students consistently score a standard deviation above the world average on their proficiency exam.

In honor of his exemplary teaching, representatives from the Idaho Association of Teachers of Language and Culture (IATLC) surprised Li with the award on Monday, where school district representatives, fellow teachers and students gathered to show support.

“I didn’t see this coming!” Li exclaimed, shocked. “When I saw I was a finalist I thought, ‘well, there’s no way it will be me’ because there were so many amazing teachers.”

IATLC narrowed their selection down to four finalists that met their requirements of three years of consistent service within the organization. They then reached out for comments of support for each finalist. According to IATLC representative Danyelle Davis, of the 68 individual comments received, 45 were in support of Li.

In a speech to those gathered, Li thanked his fellow teachers and administrators who “provided rich soil” for him.

He also thanked his students, comparing himself to a small bird “hopping in a circle on the ground year after year” and his students to an eagle, inviting the bird to fly and see the view. “I wanted to learn more, and my students helped me do that,” he explained.

One of Li’s 100 current students is freshman Daisy Magnuson, who had him in kindergarten when he taught part-time at what was then called Gateway Elementary.

Of Li, Daisy said, “he has a good balance of learning Mandarin, but also learning the culture and doing fun things. It’s a hard class…but Mr. Li makes it fun… he supports us.” Just as her older brother did, she plans to take four years of Mandarin.

Li’s classroom is colorful, with bright posters all over the walls, and flashcards hanging down from the ceiling. In the middle of the room hangs a large Chinese lantern which Li says is part of how he exposes students to Chinese culture. A cart in the back houses beautiful tea cups and traditional Chinese tea.“[The students] don’t see a lot of Chinese people in the valley in Idaho.” Li explained. “So I have to provide those [opportunities] for my students.”

After 18 years of teaching English in China, Li moved to the United States with his wife (an Idaho native). He has taught for 15 years in America, and is the only remaining original staff member at Renaissance High.

When Li first arrived in America, he was discouraged by his difficulty understanding the language he had studied and taught for years in China. He “felt inadequate.”  “After all those years of teaching English…I doubted myself. I said, ‘what did I do for those past 30 years?’”

His experience not only helps him empathize with his students, but also drives him to create a classroom where students really learn and understand the language.

“As a teacher I want to transform that scary, daunting language into something that is approachable.” Li explained he does this through singing, dancing, and connecting with Chinese culture.

During our interview Li bounced up to the whiteboard, giving us a quick lesson on how to write the character “love.” He explained that when he learned the Chinese characters growing up, his parents said, “write it 500 times and you’ll remember.” But “in America, students don’t have time to write them 500 times,” he said, laughing. “So I created a way to visualize Chinese characters.”

Li shares his innovative teaching methods through BSU’s Pathways project, which makes public education resources accessible for other foreign language teachers and community members. He also recently received a grant from the West Ada Education Foundation he will use towards a Mandarin computer program for his students.

The next step for Li is to create an intense portfolio with videos of his instruction and recommendations. He will be sponsored by IATLC and considered for the award of 2024 Pacific Northwest Language Teacher of the Year at their annual conference in March.

The teens administered CPR to an infant doll, stopped a bleed, gave an EpiPen and demonstrated food safety techniques.

Culinary skills and health safety and two certified trades for Elevate teenagers.

Elevate Academy is a 6-12 grade career technical charter school in its 5th year, serving “at-risk” students or those with chronic absenteeism, underperforming test scores or challenging life circumstances. Students rotate through eight trades and eventually specialize in one.

Teachers aimed for this initial “You Plus Me Equal Community” event to allow students to teach the community, and also show them what it means to be a good community partner and employee.

“Our kids are going to be able to help you if you have a stroke, if you’re bleeding. [They know how] to use an EpiPen,” explained medical arts teacher Diana Mysinger, who has been at the school since it opened five years ago.

At the event, students Carrie Kamerman and Rylea Dewitt taught infant CPR in detail, including how many compressions per minute to administer, where and how deep to press down on the chest, and even what to do if you only have one hand available while administering CPR.

For the past few weeks, Carrie and Rylea would finish their school work and then find a quiet place to practice their presentation. They also made flyers to hand out to attendees.

“We really love doing big projects like these,” Carrie explained. “They are really fun to us. They help us get out of our comfort zone…and prepare us for the real world.”

Rylea said she invests more in projects like these over traditional school assignments: “I learn more from it because I’m working harder at it.”

Carrie and Rylea both want to pursue careers in the medical field — Carrie wants to be a labor and delivery nurse and Rylea an emergency medical technician (EMT). Both will earn certifications at Elevate that start them on those medical paths — they will graduate with medical assistant (MA) and certified nurse assistant (CNA) certifications.

Students used core classes to prepare for the event, working on writing their presentations and sending out emails about the event in their English class, analyzing statistics in their math class and studying bacteria in their science class.

It’s this teamwork among instructors that English teacher Michele Bonneau loves about Elevate. “We have that ability to just work together constantly to ensure that our kids are getting what they need.”

Several parents walked around the presentations, the faces of their kids lighting up when they saw them approach their booth. Bonneau explained that she and her team called every single parent before the day, inviting them to come.

Success for Elevate centers not on test scores but around seeing students using the skills they developed in school to successfully navigate life as an adult. A student cannot graduate without making a specific “life plan.”

Bonneau said it’s not always easy working with the students at Elevate, but it’s rewarding. She marveled at what the students have overcome stating, “There are kids here who show up every day, despite the fact that they have some incredibly challenging home circumstances, and it’s really cool to see what they can do.”

Mysinger also acknowledged the difficulties her students face in life, holding up a simple sign that read, “E+R=O,” or “Events+Response=Outcome.”

“This is something that we teach every day. You can come in with the worst attitude in the entire world. You can have a horrible event, how do we respond to it? (That’s what creates) the (outcome) of our day.”

Bonneau anticipated continuing this event in the future. “A lot of these kids have struggled with school and things haven’t come easily to them for a variety of reasons…but by and large they all had such pride in their projects. And that just feels really good.”

Roberts, who was serving as the deputy superintendent, will be the first woman to lead Boise public schools in its almost 160 year history.

“I work with incredible people in the district,” Roberts said. “I love the Boise school district … and I am so incredibly honored to serve as the superintendent.”

Boise’s board of trustees unanimously selected Roberts, and several trustees became emotional while praising her.   

“Lisa Roberts is a trailblazer and an inspiration to women everywhere,” said board president Dave Wagers. “She is a strong, motivational leader who is well-qualified to take our schools to new heights.”

Roberts has spent over 30 years in the Boise School District, which includes 23,000 students at 46 schools. Her professional background includes serving as an elementary school teacher, elementary principal, administrator and area director. She also has served on the district’s negotiations team for 18 years. Additionally, she is on the Board of Directors for the Women’s and Children Alliance and on St. Luke’s Community Health Board.

Trustee Nancy Gregory, suppressing tears, explained, “she creates a culture where people feel valued and welcome, a culture that allows people to be successful and feel supported.”

One man, a carpenter in the Boise School District who has worked with Roberts for many years, expressed, “I want someone who’s going to pick up the broom if they have to. I want someone that cares about the students and the district. Someone that is all in, and that is Mrs. Roberts.”

He spoke of how impressed he was seeing her on a Friday night in November before the opening of a new Boise elementary school, helping unload paper boxes and set up for the big day.

Roberts and her predecessor, Coby Dennis, were both hired after serving as deputy superintendent in a district that often hires from within. He too clocked over 30 years of work in the BSD. Dennis was the second-highest paid superintendent in the state, earning $204,337 per year. Of Roberts, Dennis said, “it’s her caring for kids, staff and teachers that sets her apart.”

Superintendents run their school districts, carrying out plans for improvement created in conjunction with school board trustees, principals, other administrators and teachers.

In a 2022 report produced by RAND and the American School District Panel, over 95% of superintendents agreed that the job has gotten more difficult over the past decade. Researchers predicted this was in part from challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dennis and Roberts navigated that pandemic and the resultant virtual learning during their service together. In a radio interview with Boise State University, Robert’s explained how part of their strategy included calling every family in their school district and evaluating their virtual learning needs.

They also addressed other issues like student mental health and declining enrollment. This year, their district focused on “Educating Today For A Better Tomorrow.”

Despite challenges faced by superintendents, in the same RAND report, 85% of survey responders nationally replied they were satisfied with their jobs.

The upcoming superintendent will start her new position on July 1, 2024.

“Hey Richard,” his instructor said, grinning. “You passed.”

Richard stared at him, a look of wonder on his face. Then, it hit him. He jumped out of his seat. “I passed? I passed!” he exclaimed, pumping his fists in the air with tears in his eyes. “I did it? I did it!” The instructor, also tearful, pulled him into a quick but strong hug and said, “congratulations.”

Guerrero is incarcerated at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI), a 1,446-bed men’s prison in Boise, one of the 10 state prisons managed by the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC). He was convicted of witness intimidation and aggravated battery and came to prison without his high school diploma.

For over two years, Guerrero has been working towards getting his GED through the prison education system.

In the beginning, he felt discouraged trying to do school and almost quit. He explained, “I was like, ‘I can’t get this, I’ll never get it.’ But then I started to understand more.” Guerrero attributes his success to the staff working with him in the prison education program. “It’s because of them and everyone here [that I passed]. I’ve had them on my side, they’ve been my fans.”

ISCI’s education staff includes four teachers: two who teach GED subjects (math, science, Language Arts, social studies), one who prepares those in prison to transition after their release and another who teaches financial literacy. Instructors also teach elective classes like horticulture.

Guerrero is on his way to join the almost 1,500 incarcerated people since 2017 who have completed their GED in Idaho’s 10 prisons, with an average pass rate of 84%, which is 6% above the national average.

He also chose to pursue education, as it is not required. About 13% of the 7,110 people incarcerated in Idaho state prisons choose to participate. Once he finishes his GED, Guerrero plans on pursuing other vocational classes, and even college courses.

Walking into the educational section of ISCI you’ll run into plants, dozens of them, grown by the horticulture class. You’ll see artwork on the walls created by those in prison. Incarcerated people will be working on computers, using the professional video editing software DaVinci Resolve to create videos for the prison’s TV channel. Some will be working as teaching assistants. You might see someone reading one of the 20,000 books in the prison library or even crocheting a small creature.

The goal of educating prisoners isn’t simply to pass the time. Idaho’s incarcerated residents on average have obtained significantly less education than the general population.

Education gives opportunities to formerly incarcerated adults who upon release need to restart their lives, explained Smith. “Every job application says, ‘are you a felon?’ and you have to prove yourself even before you get the interview, that you’re worth the interview.”

That’s why Smith and others work to provide residents with as many opportunities as possible. Computer lab instructor Andrew Strebel has gone above and beyond to do that, winning Idaho CTE’s 2022 Postsecondary Exemplary Program Award for his video production training program. “I’m always looking at creative ways that I can offer these guys new skills, new things to explore, and working with outside partners to develop and bring in resources for these guys.”

Not only does this investment increase adult education levels, but it also decreases recidivism, or the rate of formerly incarcerated people returning back to prison. In Idaho, even small quantities of education make a difference. Those enrolled in education courses through IDOC from 2021 to 2022 averaged a recidivism rate of 14%, while those with less than 20 hours of education averaged a 17% rate.

Federally, studies show the benefits of education in lowering the rate of returning to prison. According to a report done by RAND, a dollar invested in prison-based education saves five dollars on three-year reincarceration costs.

Teaching financial awareness is another way to reduce the number of former offenders returning to prison. ISCI’s financial literacy course was formed after its instructor Jack Dujanovic interviewed hundreds of those in prison realizing, “the same issue kept on coming up time and time again — problems with finances.”

Nick Hearne, who was convicted of drug trafficking and could be eligible for parole in 2034, wants to learn about finances so he can get a job after his release and responsibly manage his earnings. “You can’t get out and change your life if you aren’t financially prepared for it,” he expressed.

Doug Austin was convicted of murder in 1982 and is serving an indeterminate life sentence. But knowing he may never leave prison hasn’t stopped him from wanting to be a life-long learner. He’s most interested in finance.

His first job in prison 40 years ago was working in the kitchens, earning $35 per month. With principles from his prison coursework, he began saving his money until eventually he had enough to make a small investment, which has since grown.

“Learning about how the market works is just eye opening,” he said. “It was a big secret to me and all of the sudden ‘boom!’”

The financial literacy course at ISCI started out with 11 students eight years ago and has grown to three classes and 175 students. Dujanovic was even recently asked to share some of his curriculum with the State Department of Education (SDE) to help with new requirements for financial literacy courses in Idaho’s public schools.

Just down the road at Idaho State Correctional Center (ISCC), another all-male 2,128-bed state prison, vocational classes reign supreme, with waitlists of residents hoping to get into the residential electrical program or carpentry, masonry, drywall and cabinet making courses. Soon they can sign up to be certified in wiring solar panels.

In the construction class, students build a miniature model house in the center of their classroom. The electrical class includes mock crawl spaces for those in prison learning how to wire homes.

In the masonry course, students lay block and brick and for the final project build an arch that must stand after the keystone is pulled. “Anything you would find in a cabinet shop or construction job site, I have, whether it’s tools or materials,” affirmed Michael DiNardo, coordinator of IDOC’s vocational educational programs.

These vocational classes, which generally take about two years to complete, are credited through the National Construction Center for Education (NCCR), meaning each person in prison who receives a certificate gets an NCCR number an employer can look up to verify their skills.

Logan Tysinger, who was convicted of possessing sexually exploitative material of minors, is learning a trade — something he never thought was possible. He didn’t know how to operate a tape measure when he entered prison at age 21. Now, 14 years later, he knows the ins and outs of building a house.

He started by earning his GED, then obtained some of the 15 certificate options at ISCC, including coding, networking, network security and AutoCAD, a program used by architects and construction workers. He hopes to get a job in one of these fields upon finishing his sentence.

Predominantly on his desk, Tysinger keeps a wooden sign, perfect except for a large slash right through the middle of it. He says it “reminds him of his mistake” he made when setting up the cutting machine incorrectly. Similarly, Tysinger comments that other people in prison fear failure and “lack self-confidence,” which keeps them from participating in education courses.

“I think the biggest challenge,” commented computer lab instructor Andrew Strebel, “is changing hearts and minds. It’s showing the residents that they are capable of doing something more.” Education program director for ISCI, Vance Smith, concurred. “The people we work with come from a history of failure…and that becomes an inset part of who they are.”

When it comes to Guerrero, Tysinger, and others like them, Smith explained the impact of small successes. “When they come here, get their GED, they get past it, they see that they can succeed. And it’s crazy to start watching the actual change in people. In a very short period of time [they start] thinking differently or acting differently.”

Education Program Director for IDOC, Ted Oparnico, emphasized the benefits that could come to those in prison with increased funding. Funded mainly from state and federal grants, Oparnico noted that though costs have increased over the years due to inflation and other factors, grant amounts have only increased marginally. Consequently, the number of staff in Idaho state prisons has dropped from 65 in 2011 to 45 this year, a 30% decrease.

Oparnico believes that with increased funding and more staff, the prison education system could continue to expand its course offerings, appealing to the interests of those in prison while also giving them the instructional support they need. He also advocated some form of state-mandated prison education.

Despite funding challenges, Oparnico emphasized the dedication of staff members, “You can just see the passion that the teachers have for what they do.” Of those serving time he added, “That’s what makes it so important to not give up on anybody, because you never know when it’s going to click for them and it’s going to change their life.”

The story of Emily could have ended here, with her getting passed from teacher to teacher until she finished elementary school far behind her peers and with the daunting difficulties of middle school ahead of her. But it didn’t.

Veteran teacher Mary Allen explained that by the time she finished fifth grade, Emily “was like a celebrity in the hallways,” smiling and waving at everyone as she walked by. Plus, she was testing at grade level.

What made the difference? According to principal Katie Rutan, the “Frontier Way.”

Frontier Elementary School in West Ada School District recently earned the title of National ESEA (Every Student Succeeds Act) Distinguished School, placing them amongst the top 100 schools being honored by ESEA nationwide.

The Idaho Department of Education considered schools for the award with Title I status and a poverty rate of 35% or more.

Despite the barriers in place for many of the 270 Frontier students based on financial challenges, Rutan and her staff were chosen for the award based on exemplary math and ELA achievement levels.

Rutan, in her sixth year as principal, attended Frontier as a child. Her father, Douglas Rutan, was principal of Frontier from 1986 – 1991. She started her career teaching for eight years, but “always knew” she wanted to do administration.

Of the challenges her students face she explained, “we could just say (our students) aren’t going to learn as well (because of their background). We don’t. We have them for eight hours a day, we can make a difference.”

Take Emily. Allen readily admitted, “there was no way I was getting her to grade level by the end of the year. But I got her part of the way, and the next year they got her another part. And by the time she was leaving elementary school, she was where she needed to be.”

Allen emphasized how the mindset of the teachers and staff changes everything.

“When we all believe that we can make a difference…that trickles down to our students where then they believe that they can do it too. (They say) ‘if she thinks I can do it, I think I can too.’”

Allen explained how this mindset also allows teachers to see themselves as part of a big team, instead of focusing solely on their individual classrooms. They all work together to help students like Emily over many years.

Part of the reason for Emily’s “celebrity status” upon leaving the elementary school was her interaction with so many different adults in the building. With extra funds due to their Title I status, Rutan hires “as much staffing as I can, to get as much individualized student targeted instruction as I can.”

For this school year, Frontier’s initial Title I distribution was $210,000. Allocations in Idaho ranged from $1,000 to $461,500 for this school year, with the average at $63,612.

Thanks to these funds, Frontier’s ratio is 40% supporting staff, 60% certified teachers. This means students like Emily not only have classroom teachers, but paraprofessionals who can give them individual and small group instruction targeted to their needs.

Allen emphasized that when students need assistance, “we come up with a plan, but that plan usually involves people outside of my classroom. I cannot do all of the intervention on my own.”

Not only do teachers and supporting staff work together, they celebrate together. Rutan fondly recounted that upon learning about Frontier’s award, a teacher called a paraprofessional on medical leave right away to let her know about their success.

“That’s Frontier,” she said. “A teacher calling one of our (paraprofessionals) and saying, ‘you are part of this.’” She continued, “The (supporting staff) in this building are as much a part of the staff as anyone else. And they are the heart and the joy and the positivity.”

Rutan not only prioritizes unity among staff members but with students as well. On the first day of school she walks around the hall, calling each student by name.

The students also know the goals of the school. Walk into Frontier any given morning and you’ll hear a chorus of voices reciting (with hand motions) Frontier’s Mission Statement. “At Frontier, we take pride in our learning, build positive relationships, embrace challenges and collaborate in order to become our best selves.”

Every student knows the mission statement, and Rutan says it is used often in classrooms and when students might be struggling.

When asked, current fifth grade student Kellom Lubiens said his favorite part of the mission statement is “positive relationships,” and he thinks about it while interacting with those in his class.

Kellom said he builds positive relationships through Falcon Friends, a program he applied to where he wears a vest and helps smaller students at recess time if they need help.

In the end, the “Frontier Way” centers around unity between teachers, staff, administration and students. As Rutan remarked, “It’s not one person. It’s not one initiative. It’s just a commitment of really dedicated people who have built a really strong system.”

Rutan recalled the pride she felt watching Frontier employees learn of this national award.

“It’s like when a mom sees their kid has worked really hard on something. And you know how hard they’ve worked. And you can tell them all day how proud you are…But to watch them finally hear it from somebody else…and get the recognition they deserved….was so awesome.”

Arjun and Aryan Eruvuru toddled into the kitchen at the age of three, crayons in hand. “Draw us Lightning McQueen!” they requested. Their mother obliged, tracing one car for each twin boy and handing it back to them to color.

By the age of four, their coloring had turned into sketching, and they had their favorites. For Arjun it was cows, for Aryan, school buses.

Now 10 and fifth-graders in the Boise School District, they have moved on from cows and buses to winning holiday art contests. Both took first place in separate art contests this year.

Arjun, who goes to Hawthorne Elementary, was selected by the St. Alphonsus Foundation as one of two winners of the Boise School District’s holiday card art contest.

Aryan from Trail Wind Elementary won the Idaho Department of Education holiday card contest for fifth graders.

The boys entered different contests because “our mom didn’t want us competing against each other,” Aryan explained. They both used oil pastels and acrylic paints as main mediums for their works.

Though the brothers share a birthday and a passion for making art, they don’t go about their process the same. Arjun described how he often watches an instructional video and takes his time, perfecting every detail. Aryan tends to work fast and do many drafts.

Aryan’s father, Surendranath Eruvuru, expanded stating, “He does [his drawings] in like 10 minutes. Just goes, gets a paper, draws it, says ‘ah, I don’t like it’ throws it away and gets another one.”

For his holiday card, Aryan recounted, “I tried so hard, I worked on so many sketches…and then I finally came up with [my idea].”

Despite their different techniques, both brothers get results. They have won multiple contests before these, including Arjun winning card contests in second grade for all Idaho second graders and in third grade for all of Boise schools. Aryan and Arjun have also both been accepted to the nationwide Celebrating Art contest.

Aryan expressed his surprise at winning after not being chosen for last year’s contest. “I thought I would never win for the rest of my life!” he lamented.

The boys give credit to their art teacher Simonne Reinier, who instructs them from her home each week. According to the boys’ parents, Reinier charges little but invests much in the boys, helping with supplies and giving them freedom in their art.

Reinier spoke fondly of the boys, saying, “they are bright, eager, funny boys with the biggest personalities. Arjun is meticulous and precise, takes his time and plans out his work. Aryan isn’t afraid to jump right in; he loves to work large and bold and his pieces are bright and colorful. It’s been my complete pleasure to have them in my class.”

The twins are known as artists in their schools. “When we do an art project [in class]” Arjun explained, “everyone’s always just staring at me. [They want my help] all the time!”

In the future, the boys hope to continue to develop their art skills, though Arjun might also pursue his other passion- tennis. Aryan aspires to be a cartoonist when he grows up.

First, committee members had to decide whether to renew, revise or rewrite the standards. According to the Idaho Department of Education’s Director of Content and Curriculum Meghan Wonderlich, this process happens every six years as mandated by the Legislature.

The committee members decided to revise, and then dug into the 64 pages of the 2016 Social Studies standards.

To tackle the sizable endeavor, the group split into subcategories, with teams taking different sections such as economics, world history, U.S. history, etc. Standards are knowledge-based, meaning they do not give guidance on instruction methods, only general content.

One committee member, Stewart Gardner, a professor of political science and history at Boise State University (BSU) since 2004, joined after being invited by a representative from IDE.

Gardner is part of the U.S. history II team, focusing on U.S. history since 1877. After some discussion, the team decided to take on the daunting task of restructuring the standards to be chronological, as opposed to the more “abstract” thematic approach as currently written.

To find committee participants, the IDE, which runs curriculum reviews, reached out to relevant groups and for the first time had an open application on their website. Wonderlich emphasized that they were “very excited about how many people they had interested.”

On demographics, IDE Chief Deputy Superintendent Ryan Cantrell explained, “we were really deliberate in choosing folks from all across the state of Idaho so…. we would have the most representative sample we could.”

High school teacher Jeff Sorenson remarked that the committee members operate with autonomy, with SDE only adding “advice and coaching” when applicable. Below is a demographic breakdown of committee members.

After completing a draft of the revised social studies standards, SDE will release it to the public to comment on the changes. It will then be sent to the Idaho Board of Education for review. The last step will be presenting the final draft to the legislature in 2025.

The legislature has been involved in social studies curriculum over the past few years, passing “critical race theory” legislation in 2021 under House Bill No. 377. The senate also released the non-binding Senate Resolution No. 118, which explains that “divisive content is appearing in school curriculum across the nation” and warns schools in Idaho to teach both “offenses” and “triumphs” of the past.

Sorenson and Gardner both said this legislation was not a focus of their discussion when deciding how to revise the US History standards, though Gardner did suggest they would avoid any provocative language in their drafts.

Sorenson mentioned the challenges that the politicization of history curriculum can cause in high school classrooms. “Those public conversations don’t reflect my experience as a public-school teacher,” he remarked.

Gardner concurred saying, “overwhelmingly [social studies teachers are] just teaching American history, the way we’ve always taught American history, which of course recognizes mistakes and failures, but also recognizes successes.”

Sorenson said that as a result of the “history wars”, “some students bring a negative perception of social studies to class with them which creates some extra challenges.”

This year, seven different subjects (social studies, informational technology, computer science, driver’s ed, arts, humanities and world language) are reviewing their standards. Drafts will be available for public review in the coming months.

Idaho Education News data analyst Randy Schrader contributed to this report. 

The U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has called the youth mental health crisis an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation.”

“We don’t have to be overwhelmed by this crisis. We can just start working on it,” said Communities for Youth director Megan Smith.

Communities for Youth is an Idaho group aiming to understand, address and prevent youth mental health issues. Smith started Communities for Youth a few years ago after six years as a classroom teacher, where she wondered how to “build the best possible environments for young people.”

Organizers start first by “collecting youth voices” in the form of both surveys and student focus groups. Then, they bring that information to community members and work with them to create concrete action plans tailored to the needs of their youth.

For example, in one rural community, young people weren’t perceiving kindness at their school based on surveys and listening groups. Researchers explained the issue to community members and worked with them to develop an action plan. This led to a monthly event that “recentered the communities on kindness and brought the kids and the parents together” with a shared meal and activity. This was “developed totally by community members in that area,” Smith explained.

Deputy Director Matt Isbell added that the community directs the creation of action plans, and that “leveraging the strengths of our communities and letting them have voice and ownership over the work that’s getting done with the kids is really impactful.”

Communities for Youth organizers avow their dedication to involving youth in the process as much as possible by meeting with them in focus groups, asking them questions and searching to understand their experiences. Smith explained, “we’re really trying to draw out their voices as much as possible, and it’s beautiful to watch these young people over the course of [these] focus groups open up… because we just listen.”

Surveys also play a big role in understanding students. In 2022, survey results from Boise School District and other districts around the state showed high levels of social isolation and stress from teens. BSD workers studied these results and put in action plans to tackle challenges.

This year the survey was opt-in, pursuant to the Parent Choice legislation passed earlier this year, meaning every participant needed a signed form from a parent or guardian. Smith explained in part because of this adjustment, this year there were not enough participants to officially analyze and release survey results.

Despite this setback, Smith is optimistic about the future. “I think right now we are just in a transition phase where parents in Idaho…now have to be more active about [approving their students to take surveys]. So we’re going to transition and I do think we are going to get there next year.”

When it comes to schools and youth mental health, Smith says they can address and prevent problems of loneliness by “doing what they do best” and fostering social connection among students and trusted adults.

One school did this by bringing all faculty and staff into a room with every student’s name up on the wall. If one of the adults had an authentic relationship with the student, they signed under the name. “What became very clear was that some kids just didn’t have any connection at the school” Smith articulated. When adults committed to work on social connection in their building, depression and ideation rates decreased significantly the next year.

Currently, Communities for Youth is working on the “Boise Youth Mental Health Initiative” in partnership with the City of Boise and St. Luke’s. Based on student voices from the 2022 survey data and student focus groups, they are meeting with community members to create action plans to increase social connection in Boise and surrounding areas. Smith emphasized, “if we as a community come together around social connection, we will see a difference.”

Upcoming Boise Action Team meetings:

• Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Library! at Hillcrest, from 4:30-6 p.m.
• Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Library! at Hillcrest, from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Hosted by Alexis Morgan, a passionate education expert and parent of four, the podcast aims to educate and empower community members to “be engaged and part of making a positive impact” within their local school communities. Morgan articulated her desire to use her podcast to inform, not persuade. “[The] different perspectives that we have within a community are valuable. If I can just give people the information that will help them make an informed decision… then that’s going to resonate more with people. We want to make our own choices.”

In addition to serving as President of the Idaho PTA (Parent Teacher Association), Morgan completed her undergraduate degree in secondary education, has a master’s degree in Adult Organizational Learning & Leadership and is working on a PhD in Public Policy and Administration. She served as school board director for four years, worked as a substitute teacher and is the parent to four school-aged children. In Morgan’s various roles in education, she explained she often would get phone calls from confused parents asking her questions. Intrigued, she started searching for parent-run resources about Idaho education. Finding only scattered information, she decided to start the “Our Kids, Our Schools” podcast. She hopes to inform not only parents but also other community members, as Morgan strongly believes “a school community is also our business owners and workers, professionals, community public service workers, community leaders and politicians, and taxpayers. All of these groups contribute to the health of our school community.”

Community members face various obstacles to accessing relevant education information, according to Morgan. Many lack time, especially those in single parent households or where both parents work demanding jobs. However, the complexity of the education system is another barrier. Morgan gave the example of talking to an administrator to clarify some confusion she had about the new grading system at her child’s school. She explained to the administrator, “I am a parent that [studied] education…I’ve invested a lot of time to understand [education], and this is even challenging for me to understand. Now imagine the rest of the parents in the school district trying to navigate this idea.” Morgan aims to bridge gaps in understanding through “Our Kids, Our Schools.” She also hopes the podcast helps relieve some of the many tasks on the to-do lists of teachers and administrators.

“Our Kids, Our Schools” has already received plenty of positive feedback, including Morgan gaining @totallyboise as a sponsor. She hopes the podcast will reach people all across the state of Idaho.

“I would love for this idea to grow into something that fills the state,” she explained. “That people who care about the overall health of our school communities use ‘Our Kids, Our Schools’ to help create good change within their communities around the state.”

Morgan released her fourth podcast episode on Tuesday about parent and school communication. The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms, new episodes come out the first and third Tuesdays of each month. Click here to watch and listen. Or click here to visit Morgan’s website.

The State Department of Education (SDE) spearheaded the event in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club of Canyon County, Treasure Valley YMCA and Idaho Out-of-School Network. The 177 student attendees, family members and prominent community leaders participated in fun activities like taking pictures in photo booths, face painting, dancing, and creating air cannons, rubber band guitars and catapults.

State superintendent Debbie Critchfield attended the event and reminded Idahoans in a speech that thanks to 21st Century Community Learning Center Programs, 6,700 Idaho students per year benefit from free out-of-school care. Run by the SDE, this program receives over $6 million federal dollars annually as part of Title IV, Part B to provide grants to organizations participating in out-of-school care. This out-of-school care can include programs before and after school and on weekends as well. According to program coordinator Sheena Strickler, events like “Lights on Afterschool” help students who participate in afterschool activities realize they are part of a larger community, that “there are students doing the same thing across the state and across the nation.”

Usually out-of-school programs would require funding from participants; however, school districts and community organizations can apply for 21st Century Grants to provide free out-of-school services to certain groups, including families who need extra academic or economic support throughout Idaho. For example, one elementary school in Idaho received a grant for all the students in its boundaries (including homeschooled and private school students) to get free out- of-school services from their partner, the Boys and Girls Club of Canyon County. There were 46 subgrantees this year.

Keisha Hernandez, a senior in high school who has participated in afterschool programs for many years, related her gratitude for these programs. “Equality is something so meaningful to me. And it’s something after school programs [promote]. You become part of not only an organization, but a family.” 21st Century Program specialist Christian Brown who has worked with these programs for over 16 years said, “[The students] feel a sense of belonging, and it’s a safe place that they can be every day…they just don’t want to leave because it’s so important to them. You see these kids down the road years later, and they still talk about everything that they did….and learned and the impact it had.”

Those working in the programs see gratitude from parents as well. Strickler exclaimed, “I can’t tell you how many times parents would come up just in tears that their kids made some kind of breakthrough, being kind to their brother or sister or helping out or leading or just feeling confident to go to school, to do math. And so, that’s what keeps me going…being able to support the whole family, not just the student.”

Strickler emphasized that many more students could benefit from 21st Century programs; for every five applications submitted, only two can be funded because of budget limitations. Michelle Clement Taylor, director for school choice and student engagement for SDE reaffirmed this, explaining that often the alternative to out-of-school care is students staying home alone rather than having outside educational and social experiences.

According to available data from the SDE, students participating in these programs show improvement in many areas including growth in reading assessments, grades, GPA, behavior and attendance. Over 90% of students showed an increased engagement with learning after attending their program.

Strickler applauded the amazing work done by directors and employees of community organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs, who “truly want the best for their students, parents, families and communities.” “You can have funding,” she explained, “but if you don’t have the dedicated, passionate professionals in these kiddos’ lives, none of that funding is going to make a difference. So, it’s really our programs and directors that make that difference.” Strickler and her team hope to continue holding events like this carnival to bring awareness to out-of-school activities.