Sometimes, as a high school student, I feel voiceless. Not being taken seriously because of my age. Not having the right to vote on issues that will affect my future. Not having an accessible platform to bring attention to problems I want to fix.

An issue I care strongly about is the status and protection of endangered animals, specifically, the vaquita. The vaquita is a small porpoise, about five feet in length, that live in the Gulf of California. Due to abundant illegal fishing in their habitat, their population has experienced a significant decline in recent years. Now, their population is less than 30.

Though this is an issue I care about, I have found it difficult to raise awareness for it other than simply talking about the vaquita. With a lesser-known and international issue like animal endangerment, raising awareness is especially difficult for high school students.

With local issues, students have accessible resources to create change. For example, my girl scout troop raised concern over a sidewalk that was dangerous for elementary school students to walk on when it was covered by snow and ice. We met with the school’s principal and parent leaders from the community before taking our concern to the city public works department and eventually the mayor.

In the high school setting, many actions can be taken to create awareness and change for an issue. Starting a club or talking with teachers and administrators. Social media is also a good tactic. Beyond that, calling local and state representatives is effective for a larger change, as well as just getting out and talking to people in your community. High school can seem like a time when your views are insignificant and your voice is shouted over, but there are many ways to create change.