educational reform leader michael fullan5 observed that :  when adults do think of students , they think of them as the potential beneficiaries of change  they rarely think of students as participants in a process of school change and organizational life . 
fullan5 says that engaging the hearts and minds of students is the key to success in school but many schools see students only as sources of interesting and usable data .
students soon tire of invitations that address matters they do not think are important , use language they find restrictive , alienating , or patronizing and that rarely result in action or dialog that affects their lives . despite demonstrated valuable and realistic ideas , student voice is not widespread and students are vastly underutilized resources .  student engagement strategies must reach all students , those doing okay but bored by the irrelevance of school , and those who are disadvantaged and find schools increasingly alienating as they move through the grades.5 the research on empowering students validates the wisdom of engaging youth in education , health , and social issues .
efficacy studies on youth peer mediation programs in which students are empowered to share responsibility for creating a safe and secure school environment demonstrated the value of turning to students as partners6,7 students learned peer mediation skills , reduced suspensions and discipline referrals in schools , and improved the school climate.7 research has also demonstrated that student peer educators achieve similar or better results than adult educators.8 a review article on the effects of giving students voice in the school decision - making process found evidence of moderate positive effects of student participation on life skills , democratic skills and citizenship , student - adult relationships , and school ethos while finding low evidence of negative effects.9 wallerstein,10 who has supported the use of youth empowerment strategies in all aspects of health promotion , noted that student participation enhances self - awareness and social achievement , improves mental health and academic performance , and reduces rates of dropping out of school , delinquency , and substance abuse .
a 2014 review of 26 articles11 to identify the effects of student participation in designing , planning , implementing , and/or evaluating school health promotion measures found conclusive evidence showing ( 1 ) enhanced personal effects on students ( enhanced motivation , improved attitudes , skills , competencies , and knowledge ) ; ( 2 ) improved school climate ; and ( 3 ) improved interactions and social relationships in schools both among peers and between students and adults . both educational12,13 and health experts,10 as well as youth development
experts,14 have advocated engaging students as partners to improve the health of peers , family , and community as well as improve the very process of school reform.5,12,13 pittman et al noted that change happens fastest when youth and community development are seen as two sides of the same coin and young people are afforded the tools , training and trust to apply their creativity and energy to affect meaningful change in their own lives and in the future of their neighborhoods and communities .
toshalis and nakkula13 support the effectiveness of students as partners in promoting change within the school .
they noted that student voice most often is only at the far left of the spectrum , using students as data sources ( figure 1 ) .
however , in those schools that have tried involving students as leaders of change , remarkable success has occurred .
various forms of youth engagement such as peer education , peer mentoring , youth action , student voice , community service , service - learning , youth organizing , civic engagement , and youth - adult partnerships provide students with a sense of safety , belonging , and efficacy ; gains in their sociopolitical awareness and civic competence ; strengthened community connections;16 and improved achievement.14 spectrum of student voice in schools and community given the opportunity to discover their true passion , students will accept the challenge and deliver .
high school student zak malamed17 and a few friends decided it was time for students to speak up .
they held their first twitter chat for students who were feeling frustrated about how little say they had in the school reform discussions going on around them .
the question to students became  what can we do to improve this school ?  from the impetus of several frustrated students to the organization known as student voice ( http://www.studentvoice.org ) , the conversation has grown to a movement dedicated to revolutionizing education through the voices and actions of students .
supporters promise to advocate for students to be authentic partners in education and ensure that they have a genuine influence on decisions that affect their lives .
the student voice collaboration18 was started by the new york city department of education to help students improve themselves and their schools .
participating students learned how the educational system works , interviewed school leaders about decision - making , and created a 1-page map showing how decisions were made in their school .
students conducted research on a challenge in their schools and then developed a student - led campaign to address the challenge .
finally , they set a city - wide agenda  identifying something that would benefit all new york city students .
as a result of this work , one student group developed 6 recommendations that were shared with the new york city chancellor of education .
the program 's goal was to show students that they can bring about change by working within the system .
the student - centered schools : closing the opportunity gap evaluation study , conducted by the stanford center for opportunity policy in education,19 described how 4 student - centered high schools in california supported student success .
student - centered practices focused on the needs of students through a rigorous , rich , and relevant curriculum that connected to the world beyond school .
personalization was critical and students were provided with instructional supports that enabled success . each of the 4 schools supported students ' leadership capacities and autonomy through inquiry - based , student - directed , and collaborative learning within the classroom and in the community .
advisory programs , a culture of celebration , student voice , leadership opportunities , and connections to parents and community were embedded in each school . the study revealed that creating high schools designed around student rather than adult needs requires a shift in beliefs that must be translated into action .
the stanford study19 also showed that teachers and administrators need to be prepared to address students ' academic , social , and emotional needs in ways that empower students to take control of their own learning .
this has significant implications for teacher and administrator preparation programs , teacher induction , and professional development .
a culture of collaboration and partnership must go beyond traditional educator networks to include students as partners and consumers of educational programs and services .
meaningful student involvement requires educators to provide learning experiences that enhance students ' skill development .
effective teachers guide students to discovery , help students make meaning of what they learn , and include students as essential and legitimate contributors to achieving their own health and success .
schools must continuously acknowledge the diversity of students by validating and authorizing them to represent their own ideas , opinions , knowledge , and experiences and truly become partners in every facet of school change but certainly in those programs and services that directly impact their health and well - being . student empowerment can and should begin in the elementary grades .
serriere et al20 described a youth - adult partnership in one elementary school in which mixed grade level k-5 students participated in small school gatherings described as social , civic , and academic networks designed to create a sense of community and encourage student voice .
group projects focused on  making a difference ,  defined by the students as helping the poor , writing letters to military personnel , or aiding a local animal shelter .
these authentic activities incorporated critical thinking , decision - making , collaboration , and planning skills and demonstrated that given the right circumstances , even the youngest students can have a voice in their work .
similarly , the national health education standards21 emphasize effective communication , goal setting , decision - making , and advocacy  all skills that enable students to take a more active role in their school and community . ultimately , the goal is to prepare all students for college , career , and life , educating and empowering them to become informed , responsible , and active citizens .
the wscc model provides a vehicle for students to create meaningful learning experiences in education and health that help create a safe and supportive school .
students can best articulate their own needs , thus maximizing the provision of health and counseling services .
however , schools can not simply ask a select few for their opinions or blessings ; rather , schools must make concerted and genuine efforts to move from the contrived student voice of a few students to the meaningful student involvement of all students .  at the heart of meaningful student involvement are students whose voices have long been silenced.12 every student deserves to be healthy , safe , engaged , supported , and challenged but evidence suggests that most students do not receive the supports they need to achieve these outcomes . while the five promises articulated by the america 's promise alliance22 do not use the same terms as the wscc model , they are quite similar in describing the fundamental needs of students : healthy start , safe places , caring adults ( supported ) , opportunities to help others ( engaged ) , and , effective education ( challenged ) .
a survey completed in 2006 by america 's promise revealed that 7 in 10 young people ages 12 to 17 ( 69% ) received only 3 or less of the 5 fundamental resources needed to flourish .
only 31% ( or 153 million students out of 494 million students ) in grades 6 - 12 received 4 to 5 of these fundamental resources .
the 2014 quaglia institute for student aspirations ' my voice survey23 also confirmed the need for more resources .
the survey , completed by a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 66,314 students in grades 6 - 12 representing 234 schools across the nation , was designed to measure variables affecting student academic motivation and concentrated on the following student constructs : self - worth , engagement , purpose / motivation along with peer support , and teacher support .
the authors of the survey noted that the results of the 2014 survey demonstrated little change with the annual results since 2009 .
students with a sense of self - worth were 5 times more likely to be academically motivated , yet 45% of students did not have a sense of self - worth . those who described themselves as engaged were 16 times more likely to be academically motivated but 40% reported that they were not engaged .
students with a sense of purpose were 18 times more likely to be academically motivated but 15% reported no purpose .
teacher support increased academic motivation 8 times over while peer support increased academic motivation 4 times over .
however , 39% of the students reported no teacher support and 56% reported no peer support.23 clearly , there is a need for a more coordinated and collaborative approach to meeting students ' basic needs 
the wscc model could be one mechanism schools and communities use to improve students ' feelings and experiences of self - worth , engagement , purpose , peer support , and teacher support as students become partners in the dissemination of the model .
meaningful youth involvement in promoting the wscc model needs to be promoted . learning opportunities to empower youth can be divided into individual empowerment , organizational empowerment , and community empowerment.24 individual empowerment occurs when youth develop the self - management skills , improve competence and exert control over their life , while organizational empowerment refers to schools and community organizations that provide opportunities for engaging in student empowerment as well as benefit from student empowerment .
community empowerment refers to the provision of opportunities for citizen participation at the local , state , and national level and the ensuing efforts to improve lives , organizations , and the community.25 successful youth - adult partnerships happen when the relationships between youth and adults are characterized by mutuality in teaching , learning , and action . while these relationships usually occur within youth organizations or in democratic schools , they could become one mechanism for disseminating the wscc model .
fletcher asks adults to : imagine a school where democracy is more than a buzzword , and involvement is more than attendance .
it is a place where all adults and students interact as co - learners and leaders , and where students are encouraged to speak out about their schools .
picture all adults actively valuing student engagement and empowerment , and all students actively striving to become more engaged and empowered .
envision school classrooms where teachers place the experiences of students at the center of learning , and education boardrooms where everyone can learn from students as partners in school change 
[ to improve not only education outcomes but also health outcomes ] . what can schools do to empower students and support student voice ?
the authors suggest adapting 4 goals identified by fletcher,25 to include a health focus as well as a school improvement focus : engage all students at all grade levels and in all subjects as contributing stakeholders in teaching , learning , and leading in school [ to ensure that student needs are being met ] . expand the common expectation of every student to become an active and equal partner in school change [ that includes health - promoting student support programs and services as cornerstones of school improvement ] .
provide students and educators with sustainable , responsive , and systemic approaches to engaging all students [ in school improvement and health promotion ] and validate the experience , perspectives , and knowledge of all students through sustainable , powerful , and purposeful school - oriented and school - community roles.25 table 1 , an adaptation of a chart by fletcher,12 provides examples of empowerment roles students can assume as partners in promoting achievement and health through the implementation of the wscc model . while the table identifies opportunities at 3 grade clusters ( e = elementary / k-5 , m = middle grades/6 - 8 , hs = high school/9 - 12 ) , these suggestions can be easily adapted for any grade level .
potential roles for students in the implementation of the wscc * e , elementary school ; m , middle school ; hs , high school ; wscc , whole school , whole community , whole child . adapted from fletcher.12 a number of researchers1416
have provided guidelines and recommendations for schools and communities on how to begin this process by : assessing the needs of youth on a regular basis;14,15 developing a local database of resources for youth development;14 asking community - based organizations ( cbos ) to document and share with schools what they specifically accomplish related to learning outcomes14 to coordinate a scope and sequence of learning;14 developing curricula that integrates community resources for learning and teaching;14 providing youth with a supportive  home base  in which youth can work with dedicated and nurturing adults;15 creating youth - adult teams that are intentional about the long - term social changes to be achieved;15 balancing the need for short - term individual supports for youth with long - term goal of community change;15 recognizing and rewarding youth for their participation in youth organizations;14 providing professional development for educators to learn about the power of youth organizations to assist in providing youth with skills;14 advocating for a line item in the community budget to support youth as partners in improving the community and schools;14 providing multiple options for youth participation ensuring that youth receive the support to progressively take on more responsibility as they gain experience and skills;16 providing coaching and ongoing feedback to both youth and adults;14,15 establishing strategies to recruit and retain a diverse core of youth;15,16 providing organizational resources such as budget , staff training , and physical space aligned to support quality youth - adult partnership;16 and providing adults and youth with opportunities to reflect and learn with same - age peers.16 in addition , kania and kramer26 identified 5 conditions needed for achieving collective impact on any issue ( but particularly educational reform ) that could be instructive for school - community partnerships that support youth engagement and empowerment .
these include a common agenda , shared measurement systems , mutually reinforcing activities , continuous communication , and backbone support functions ( such as convening partners , conducting needs assessments , developing a shared strategic plan for aligning efforts , selecting success metrics , and designing an evaluation ) . hung et al27 in a review of the factors that facilitated the implementation of health - promoting schools which also engaged community agencies as partners in the process , identified the following effective and somewhat similar strategies : following a framework / guideline ; obtaining committed support from the school staff , school board , management , health agencies , and other stakeholders ; adopting a multidisciplinary , collaborative approach ; establishing professional networks and relationships ; and continuing training and education . hung et al also noted that coordination was the key to promoting school - community partnerships and encouraged a 2-pronged approach : a top - down approach , a more effective initiating force to introduce and support the coordination role ; and a bottom - up commitment , including the participation of parents and students , critical for sustaining an initiative .
ten years of research,14 assessing the contributions of 120 community youth - based organizations in 34 cities across the nation , revealed that students working with cbos , when compared to youth in general , were 26% more likely to report having received recognition for good grades .
almost 20% were more likely to rate their chances of graduating from high school as  very high , 
20% were more likely to rate the prospect of their going to college as  very high ,  and more than 2 - 1/2 times were more likely to think it is  very important  to do community service or to volunteer and give back to their community.14 students can also play an important role within their own school or district .
the centers for disease control and prevention28 recommends that schools and communities establish school health coordinating councils at the community level to facilitate the communication and common goals recommended by kania and kramer as well as the professional networks and relationships identified by hung et al as drivers of quality school health programs .
members of both the district level and school councils / teams include representatives from education , public health , health and social service agencies , community leadership , and families .
some schools and districts have found that including students as critical contributors to the work of the councils / teams is vital . the center consolidated school district ( colorado),29 recognizing
the importance of a collaborative approach to student health and learning , has a health advisory committee that represents the wscc components and includes community professionals , school staff , parents , and students .
the district believes that , with support , students can achieve academically and be successful in life .
health and wellness efforts are integrated into the work of the center school district as reflected by a health and wellness goal for the district 's unified improvement plan . 
the district sees wellness as the foundation for learning  sustained by creating and maintaining environments , comprehensive health , policies , practices , access to services and resources , and attitudes that develop and support
the inter - related dimensions of physical , mental , emotional , and social health.29 persons at the district 's skoglund middle school believe that  educating students about leading a healthy lifestyle is important  and because students educate others about a healthy lifestyle and its impact , sustainability is enhanced . as administrators , staff , parents and students understand the importance of coordinated school health efforts , they become the school 's strongest advocates.30 skoglund
has discovered that when parents and students demand something , it continues.30 clearly , student voice and involvement is valued in the district which uses the wscc model to guide its work .
table 2 provides examples of resources to assist school and community agency staff members to empower students as partners , enable student voice , and develop students as partners for change .
every student deserves to be healthy , safe , engaged , supported , and challenged but evidence suggests that most students do not receive the supports they need to achieve these outcomes . while the five promises articulated by the america 's promise alliance22 do not use the same terms as the wscc model , they are quite similar in describing the fundamental needs of students : healthy start , safe places , caring adults ( supported ) , opportunities to help others ( engaged ) , and , effective education ( challenged ) .
a survey completed in 2006 by america 's promise revealed that 7 in 10 young people ages 12 to 17 ( 69% ) received only 3 or less of the 5 fundamental resources needed to flourish .
only 31% ( or 153 million students out of 494 million students ) in grades 6 - 12 received 4 to 5 of these fundamental resources .
the 2014 quaglia institute for student aspirations ' my voice survey23 also confirmed the need for more resources .
the survey , completed by a racially and socioeconomically diverse sample of 66,314 students in grades 6 - 12 representing 234 schools across the nation , was designed to measure variables affecting student academic motivation and concentrated on the following student constructs : self - worth , engagement , purpose / motivation along with peer support , and teacher support .
the authors of the survey noted that the results of the 2014 survey demonstrated little change with the annual results since 2009 .
students with a sense of self - worth were 5 times more likely to be academically motivated , yet 45% of students did not have a sense of self - worth .
those who described themselves as engaged were 16 times more likely to be academically motivated but 40% reported that they were not engaged .
students with a sense of purpose were 18 times more likely to be academically motivated but 15% reported no purpose .
teacher support increased academic motivation 8 times over while peer support increased academic motivation 4 times over .
however , 39% of the students reported no teacher support and 56% reported no peer support.23 clearly , there is a need for a more coordinated and collaborative approach to meeting students ' basic needs  one involving families , schools , communities , and peers .
the wscc model could be one mechanism schools and communities use to improve students ' feelings and experiences of self - worth , engagement , purpose , peer support , and teacher support as students become partners in the dissemination of the model .
meaningful youth involvement in promoting the wscc model needs to be promoted . learning opportunities to empower youth
can be divided into individual empowerment , organizational empowerment , and community empowerment.24 individual empowerment occurs when youth develop the self - management skills , improve competence and exert control over their life , while organizational empowerment refers to schools and community organizations that provide opportunities for engaging in student empowerment as well as benefit from student empowerment .
community empowerment refers to the provision of opportunities for citizen participation at the local , state , and national level and the ensuing efforts to improve lives , organizations , and the community.25 successful youth - adult partnerships happen when the relationships between youth and adults are characterized by mutuality in teaching , learning , and action . while these relationships usually occur within youth organizations or in democratic schools , they could become one mechanism for disseminating the wscc model .
fletcher asks adults to : imagine a school where democracy is more than a buzzword , and involvement is more than attendance .
it is a place where all adults and students interact as co - learners and leaders , and where students are encouraged to speak out about their schools .
picture all adults actively valuing student engagement and empowerment , and all students actively striving to become more engaged and empowered .
envision school classrooms where teachers place the experiences of students at the center of learning , and education boardrooms where everyone can learn from students as partners in school change 
[ to improve not only education outcomes but also health outcomes ] . what can schools do to empower students and support student voice ?
the authors suggest adapting 4 goals identified by fletcher,25 to include a health focus as well as a school improvement focus : engage all students at all grade levels and in all subjects as contributing stakeholders in teaching , learning , and leading in school [ to ensure that student needs are being met ] .
expand the common expectation of every student to become an active and equal partner in school change [ that includes health - promoting student support programs and services as cornerstones of school improvement ] . provide students and educators with sustainable , responsive , and systemic approaches to engaging all students [ in school improvement and health promotion ] and validate the experience , perspectives , and knowledge of all students through sustainable , powerful , and purposeful school - oriented and school - community roles.25 table 1 , an adaptation of a chart by fletcher,12 provides examples of empowerment roles students can assume as partners in promoting achievement and health through the implementation of the wscc model .
while the table identifies opportunities at 3 grade clusters ( e = elementary / k-5 , m = middle grades/6 - 8 , hs = high school/9 - 12 ) , these suggestions can be easily adapted for any grade level .
potential roles for students in the implementation of the wscc * e , elementary school ; m , middle school ; hs , high school ; wscc , whole school , whole community , whole child . adapted from fletcher.12 a number of researchers1416 have provided guidelines and recommendations for schools and communities on how to begin this process by : assessing the needs of youth on a regular basis;14,15 developing a local database of resources for youth development;14 asking community - based organizations ( cbos ) to document and share with schools what they specifically accomplish related to learning outcomes14 to coordinate a scope and sequence of learning;14 developing curricula that integrates community resources for learning and teaching;14 providing youth with a supportive  home base  in which youth can work with dedicated and nurturing adults;15 creating youth - adult teams that are intentional about the long - term social changes to be achieved;15 balancing the need for short - term individual supports for youth with long - term goal of community change;15 recognizing and rewarding youth for their participation in youth organizations;14 providing professional development for educators to learn about the power of youth organizations to assist in providing youth with skills;14 advocating for a line item in the community budget to support youth as partners in improving the community and schools;14 providing multiple options for youth participation ensuring that youth receive the support to progressively take on more responsibility as they gain experience and skills;16 providing coaching and ongoing feedback to both youth and adults;14,15 establishing strategies to recruit and retain a diverse core of youth;15,16 providing organizational resources such as budget , staff training , and physical space aligned to support quality youth - adult partnership;16 and providing adults and youth with opportunities to reflect and learn with same - age peers.16 in addition , kania and kramer26 identified 5 conditions needed for achieving collective impact on any issue ( but particularly educational reform ) that could be instructive for school - community partnerships that support youth engagement and empowerment .
these include a common agenda , shared measurement systems , mutually reinforcing activities , continuous communication , and backbone support functions ( such as convening partners , conducting needs assessments , developing a shared strategic plan for aligning efforts , selecting success metrics , and designing an evaluation ) .
hung et al27 in a review of the factors that facilitated the implementation of health - promoting schools which also engaged community agencies as partners in the process , identified the following effective and somewhat similar strategies : following a framework / guideline ; obtaining committed support from the school staff , school board , management , health agencies , and other stakeholders ; adopting a multidisciplinary , collaborative approach ; establishing professional networks and relationships ; and continuing training and education . hung et al also noted that coordination was the key to promoting school - community partnerships and encouraged a 2-pronged approach : a top - down approach , a more effective initiating force to introduce and support the coordination role ; and a bottom - up commitment , including the participation of parents and students , critical for sustaining an initiative .
ten years of research,14 assessing the contributions of 120 community youth - based organizations in 34 cities across the nation , revealed that students working with cbos , when compared to youth in general , were 26% more likely to report having received recognition for good grades .
almost 20% were more likely to rate their chances of graduating from high school as  very high , 
20% were more likely to rate the prospect of their going to college as  very high ,  and more than 2 - 1/2 times were more likely to think it is  very important  to do community service or to volunteer and give back to their community.14 students can also play an important role within their own school or district .
the centers for disease control and prevention28 recommends that schools and communities establish school health coordinating councils at the community level to facilitate the communication and common goals recommended by kania and kramer as well as the professional networks and relationships identified by hung et al as drivers of quality school health programs .
members of both the district level and school councils / teams include representatives from education , public health , health and social service agencies , community leadership , and families .
some schools and districts have found that including students as critical contributors to the work of the councils / teams is vital . the center consolidated school district ( colorado),29 recognizing the importance of a collaborative approach to student health and learning , has a health advisory committee that represents the wscc components and includes community professionals , school staff , parents , and students .
the district believes that , with support , students can achieve academically and be successful in life .
health and wellness efforts are integrated into the work of the center school district as reflected by a health and wellness goal for the district 's unified improvement plan .
 the district sees wellness as the foundation for learning  sustained by creating and maintaining environments , comprehensive health , policies , practices , access to services and resources , and attitudes that develop and support
the inter - related dimensions of physical , mental , emotional , and social health.29 persons at the district 's skoglund middle school believe that  educating students about leading a healthy lifestyle is important  and because students educate others about a healthy lifestyle and its impact , sustainability is enhanced . as administrators , staff , parents and students understand the importance of coordinated school health efforts , they become the school 's strongest advocates.30 skoglund
has discovered that when parents and students demand something , it continues.30 clearly , student voice and involvement is valued in the district which uses the wscc model to guide its work .
table 2 provides examples of resources to assist school and community agency staff members to empower students as partners , enable student voice , and develop students as partners for change .
the wscc model places students in the center for a reason : students are the consumers of the programs and services we , the adults , provide .
a student - centered school considers the thoughts and opinions of the students it serves .
that means schools must seek out the opinions and ideas of every student , not just those elected to student government or acknowledged as school leaders .
this dialogue must begin in elementary grades as students learn how to develop and present a convincing argument and advocate for their own health , safety , engagement , support for learning and academic challenges as well as these supports for their peers .
these skills can be developed , refined , and supported by the implementation of a comprehensive , sequential prek-12 health education program aligned with the national health education standards .
school administrators must regularly engage all students through social media , surveys , town hall meetings , and focus groups .
creating a continuous feedback loop , where comments are welcomed and expected , is critical to supporting student voice . whereas having student representatives on the school health committee / team is important
, asking all students to participate in developing and implementing school health policies is necessary in order to create a safe environment for discussion .
it is critical that students become involved in the conversation at the outset and not after decisions have already been made .
building trust in the  system  is crucial to the success of the wscc model .
as schools implement the wscc approach , they must create an ongoing dialog about school health policies , programs and services and ensure that the student body is well - represented in those conversations .
three simple questions are critical to that process : what do students think about the planned policy , program or service ?
how will the policies , programs , and services impact all students in the school ? what would the students do differently if given the opportunity to do so ?
ensuring that all students have the skills needed to become effective communicators is but a first step toward creating an environment where students feel safe and supported . empowering students as partners in the dissemination of the wscc model will help generate trust and acceptance and ensure that students ' needs are being met .
ascd 's the learning compact redefined : a call to action set the stage for the development of the wscc model with this statement :  we are calling for a simple change that will have radical implications : put the child at the center of decision - making and allocate resources 
time , space , and human  to ensure each child 's success.3 creating meaningful roles for students as allies , decision makers , planners , and foremost , as consumers , ensures that our focus is truly student - centered .
placing students in the center of the wscc model makes visible the commitment of education and health to collaboratively prepare today 's students for the challenges of today and the possibilities of tomorrow .
we can accomplish this by engaging and empowering students and acknowledging them as capable and valuable partners in the process ( figure 2 ) .
source : ascd1 the preparation of this paper involved no original research with human subjects .
 backgroundstudents are the heart of the whole school , whole community , whole child ( wscc ) model . 
 students are the recipients of programs and services to ensure that they are healthy , safe , engaged , supported , and challenged and also serve as partners in the implementation and dissemination of the wscc model.methodsa review of the number of students nationwide enjoying the 5 whole child tenets reveals severe deficiencies while a review of student - centered approaches , including student engagement and student voice , appears to be one way to remedy these deficiencies.resultsresearch in both education and health reveals that giving students a voice and engaging students as partners benefits them by fostering development of skills , improvement in competence , and exertion of control over their lives while simultaneously improving outcomes for their peers and the entire school / organization.conclusionscreating meaningful roles for students as allies , decision makers , planners , and consumers shows a commitment to prepare them for the challenges of today and the possibilities of tomorrow . 
DISCUSSION
Students' Perceptions of Achieving the 5 Whole Child Tenets
How Schools Can Empower and Engage Students
IMPLICATIONS FOR SCHOOL HEALTH
Human Subjects Approval Statement