What Happens When Students Set the Agenda?
Written by Mumtahina, Student Innovator
When students are given real authority and decision-making power, something powerful happens — passion enters the project. It’s the difference between being told what to do and being trusted as an equal.
For me, that moment came when I was elected Treasurer of my school’s community service club. Suddenly, I wasn’t just showing up to meetings — I was helping run them. I was responsible for managing our funds, planning projects to serve the community, deciding what we would sell for fundraisers, brainstorming how to give back, and scheduling our efforts.
It was thrilling. I discovered skills I didn’t even know I had — organizing club fundraising meetings, motivating members, and keeping our plans on track. But I won’t pretend it was all easy. Having the freedom to make decisions meant I also felt the weight of mistakes, even small ones. When it’s your call, it’s personal. Still, I learned something valuable: patience and kindness go a long way. Our members — and especially our club advisor — supported me, encouraged me, and made me feel truly seen. The more effort I put in, the more that appreciation grew.
Through this experience, I realized I love taking initiative. I learned I could trust myself to make sound decisions. And I started to believe something important: if schools trusted students with genuine leadership opportunities more often, we’d be far better prepared for life beyond the classroom. After all, life isn’t just about books, papers, and following instructions.
In the end, I saw firsthand that trust and responsibility go hand in hand. When someone believes in you enough to hand you the reins, you rise to meet the challenge.
One of my proudest moments as Treasurer came at the very end of the school year. I planned a fundraiser — a dunk tank event — where all profits went toward helping the homeless. By the time the last splash hit the water, we had raised $500.
For me, that wasn’t just a fundraiser. It was proof of what can happen when students are trusted to set the agenda.