Building Leadership, Building Power: How Parents and Students Are Shaping Eureka High School

At Eureka High School, something powerful is taking root—not through top-down mandates, but through community organizing. Students and families, many from immigrant communities, are stepping into leadership roles and reshaping the way schools listen and respond.

For years, parents of English Learners wanted to advocate for their children’s education but felt disconnected from school decision-making. Students were eager to shape their learning environments but lacked opportunities. That’s beginning to change.

Through deep relationship-building and organizing, True North’s Community Organizers have worked alongside families, students, and school staff to create meaningful spaces for participation. They’ve been instrumental—walking with families every step of the way, helping them understand how school systems work, identifying shared concerns, and stepping into leadership together.

Two key leadership bodies are now taking shape at Eureka High: the English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC) and the School Site Council. ELAC has already begun meeting regularly, and nominations for leadership took place in the spring. Meanwhile, the Site Council has officially formed and held its first two meetings—marking an important step toward building a more collaborative school culture.

What sets this process apart is the intention behind it: students, families, and school staff are working together to foster shared leadership. It’s a shift from symbolic participation to real power-sharing—where decisions about budgets, programs, and priorities are shaped by the people who live and work within the school community every day.

“Parents want to feel genuine support from the school,” says Pedro Cortes Garcia, Community School Liaison at Eureka High. “They want to know their kids are truly being supported—not just here at Eureka High, but in a way that prepares them for college and beyond.”

This work is part of a larger shift toward inclusive, shared governance—where those most impacted by school policies are helping to shape them. Through ELAC, families are already advising on programs and policies that directly affect their children. And as the Site Council develops, the vision is clear: a school culture rooted in collaboration and co-leadership.

These changes didn’t happen overnight. They’re the result of intentional organizing: 1-1 conversations, community meetings, and the slow, steady work of building relationships and trust. True North has been working alongside families throughout this process, walking with them as they show up, speak out, and step into power. School administrators have also played a key role, recognizing the need for deeper engagement and supporting new ways to co-create solutions.

This is the heart of the Community Schools model: schools becoming hubs of connection, where families, students, and educators work together to ensure every student has what they need to thrive.

At Eureka High, that work is building on a strong foundation—and the movement for shared leadership is growing.