Photo of students posing on a playground

(back row, from left) Jayden Hughes, Devyn Smith, Cindy Hernandez; (in front) Ronald Perez

Meredith Edlow/AP Images for Scholastic, Inc.

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We're the Young Change Makers

These fifth-graders are speaking up to help improve the school they love. 

February 13, 2023
By Nicole Tocco

It happened to students at Gloria Casarez Elementary School day after day. Someone would trip and fall in the schoolyard, getting cut or bruised. More than 40 kids were injured in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, schoolyard within the first two months of last school year. 

“It was dangerous to play in our own yard,” explains 10-year-old Devyn Smith, who was in fourth grade at the time.

Over the years, the concrete in the schoolyard had deteriorated. Much of it was broken and uneven. School officials had been asking the district to repair it for more than a decade. Billions of dollars of other repairs were needed throughout the more than 300 public schools in the city, though. Getting the Casarez Elementary schoolyard fixed seemed hopeless.

But Devyn and three of his classmates were determined to get the job done.

Meredith Edlow/AP Images for Scholastic, Inc.

Leading the Way

In October 2021, the vice president of the Philadelphia school board, Leticia Egea-Hinton, was invited to visit Casarez Elementary. Students showed her around, explaining why they love the school. But they also pointed out what needed to be fixed at the 133-year-old school, both inside and out.

Egea-Hinton suggested that the students speak directly to the Philadelphia school board. She pointed out that hearing from the people most affected by the problems might convince the board to approve the repairs.

Assistant principal Julio Nuñez gathered Devyn and a few other student leaders, who would later become known as the Young Change Makers. Number one on their list was getting their crumbling schoolyard fixed.

Meredith Edlow/AP Images for Scholastic, Inc.

Problem Solved! The Young Change Makers helped get crumbling concrete repaired in their schoolyard.

Speaking Up

The kids helped convince more than 160 parents and teachers to sign a petition asking for the yard to be fixed. Then Devyn and fellow Young Change Maker Jayden Hughes spoke to the school board on a Zoom call. They had prepared speeches about the poor condition of their schoolyard and how it affected them and their classmates. 

“I was nervous,” Jayden says. “But I did it because I knew it would help change my school.”

The next morning, crews began fixing the concrete in the schoolyard. The students—and faculty—couldn’t believe it. After years of adults asking for the repairs, it was kids who finally made it happen. 

“We did that by using our voices,” Devyn says proudly.

More to Come

The Young Change Makers are now in fifth grade, and they meet every month to discuss other ways to improve their school. What’s up next? 

“We want air-conditioning in our school,” says Cindy Hernandez, another Young Change Maker. “Sometimes it’s too hot to learn.”

A few days into this school year, Casarez Elementary closed early because of soaring temperatures in classrooms.

The kids recently spoke to the school board about getting air-conditioning. It hasn’t happened yet, but they plan to persevere. They want to make their school the best it can be for future students.

“I’m willing to stay in the group until we get it all done,” says Ronald Perez. 

What the Young Change Makers Want You to Know

You probably won’t be able to solve every problem. But don’t let that discourage you. If you can fix even a few things, you can help change your school or community. 

It’s not easy to give up your time to help bring about change. But the feeling you get from accomplishing your goal can make all the time and effort worth it.

You might have a great idea, but if you don’t speak up, no one will ever know about it. Adults can do only so much. We’re in school every day, so we have good ideas about how to fix the problems we see in classrooms.

1. What is the main problem described in the text? How did the Young Change Makers help solve it?

2. Why did getting the schoolyard fixed seem hopeless at first?

3. What is the main idea of the section “More to Come”?

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