Student Advocates for Speech

Bryce, 16
California

My name is Bryce McCague, and I am a junior in San Diego, CA. I participate in my school’s music program, playing various instruments, from mellophone for marching season to trumpet for jazz and cello during orchestra. I volunteer with Ride Across California as a youth support member, an organization that challenges 5th graders to set achievable goals to accomplish monumental tasks, specifically a 269-mile bike ride during Spring Break. I am active in my school community and recently established a banned book library for students and staff to access.

Emily
California

Emily Pedroza is a teen writer based in San Jose, California. She believes words and narratives are crucial for collective healing. Outside of writing (+ staring blankly at Google Docs pages) and stalking her favorite poets on Twitter, you can find her curled reading paperbacks under sheets.

Myesha
California

Myesha Phukan is a senior at Mountain View High School and the Editor-in-Chief of her school paper, The Oracle. She has advocated against journalistic censorship on national platforms through the Student Press Law Center, conference presentations, and media interviews. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career in investigative journalism or law.

Yuki
California

Hi, my name is Yuki Matsumura and I am a rising junior at Woodbridge High School in Irvine, CA. I am passionate about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in my community and bridging the gap in digital literacy. Outside of advocacy work, I enjoy solving jigsaw puzzles, singing as a member of my school’s jazz choir, and spending time with my puppy. 

Iris
Florida

Iris is a high school senior from Miami, Florida who is determined to resist attempted
censorship from her state’s legislators and around the country. She finds joy in music, reading, writing, and learning. She envisions a life of working towards collective liberation for all people through the vehicle of criminal justice reform.

Delano
Georgia

Hi, I’m Delano. I’m a high school senior and avid tennis player who is interested in fighting censorship. Two of my favorite books are “The Kite Runner” and “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.” I am excited to be a part of SAS this year, and I’m excited to make a change!

Gayatri
Illinois

Hi! My name is Gayatri Chakoo and I’m currently a senior at Adlai E Stevenson High School. I am part of our school’s ethics bowl team and am a huge advocate for students employing their voices to make change. I am also a student leader at the North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic where we discuss the numerous challenges low income families face with legal equity. I’m really looking forward to working with the Student Advocates for Speech!

Mariama
Illinois

Hello, my name is Mariama and I’m a junior! I’m part of my school’s debate team and I am co-head of a social change club that I helped create, among other things. I enjoy reading, writing, and long talks with friends. I believe that change begins with the youth and as a member of SAS, I’m excited to be part of a group that believes in protecting our voices from those who would see us silent.

Laura
Iowa

Hello, my name is Laura and I’m a senior from Bettendorf, Iowa. I am involved in many school and community organizations, including National Honor Society, Ethics Bowl, journalism, and the Teen Leadership Committee at my local library. I’m passionate about advocating for student press and speech freedoms and am excited to work with the NCAC this year!

Rodas
Maine

Hello! My name is Rodas Kahasay, and I’m from Portland, Maine. I am so excited and honored to be a part of SAS and can’t wait to make a difference. I enjoy reading, listening to music, especially Frank Ocean, and my favorite color is green.

Saffron
Maryland

Hi! My name is Saffron, and I am a rising junior in Baltimore City. I have a passion for reading, writing, and serving my community. I aspire to be a published author and hope to get youth more interested in reading books. I’m excited to work with this program and hope to make a difference with my peers.

Jacqueline
Massachusetts

Hi, my name is Jacqueline, and I’m a rising junior from Cambridge, Massachusetts. I’m passionate about swimming, anything related to STEM, playing the violin, and advocating for literacy in underserved communities. I’m excited to amplify the voices of the youth and drive meaningful change in my community by defending the value of free speech!

Layton
Missouri

Hi! My name is Layton Green, and I am a rising senior in Joplin, Missouri. What started as research for a debate case has turned into a passion for free speech rights, and this year I hope to do good work with my fellow team members to further that cause. I can’t wait to work together with everyone!

Rebekah
Missouri

Hi, I’m Bekah Davis. I am 17 and going into my senior year of highschool. I enjoy spending time playing soccer and volunteering at the local diaper pantry.

Anny
New York

Hi, I’m Anny and I’m currently a rising senior from New York. I love visiting museums, cooking and volunteering for the community. I’ve worked on exhibitions at the Brooklyn Children’s museum and crafted papers to address ways to increase civic engagement amongst high school students. I’m super excited about this opportunity in which I hoped to learn how to elevate the people’s voice further.

Taz
New York

Hello, my name is Taz, and I am a rising senior in high school from Albany, New York. In my spare time, I enjoy playing guitar, biking, and baking. I am happy to be a part of the NCAC’s Student Advocates for Speech program, and I look forward to promoting free expression and empowering my peers to stand up for their beliefs.

Alisa
Ohio

Alisa is a rising senior at William Mason High School in Ohio. Passionate about freedom of expression in education, she has worked towards reshaping high school discourse through meetings with the school administration and the creation of a facilitation training course. She’s also incredibly interested in youth civic engagement and genuine human interaction.

Lyla
Ohio

My name is Lyla Stockberger and I am a senior at Northridge High School in Ohio. I play soccer and basketball and I love to read. I am also a library aide in my school’s 6-12 library. 

Madison
Oklahoma

I’m Madison Hayes, a senior located in Oklahoma. I’m treasurer of my school’s Black Student Union, as well as historian of the National Honor Society. I’m a member of the UPENN PEEP program, and a QuestBridge College Prep Scholar. I’m a writer for both my school newspaper, “The Howler”, and the Youth Law Institute.

Alexandria, 15
Georgia

Hi, I’m Alexandria. I’m a high school junior, volleyball player, artist, writer, and overall creative person. As an avid reader and writer, I understand the importance of having your story be told without limits, and I hope that me and my club will play a part in protecting every voice and story!

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Aliyah, 17
Florida

Hi! My name’s Aliyah! I’m a 17-year-old aspiring creative writer. As an immigrant from Singapore, I’ve learned to value communication in my daily life and work towards creating a more inclusive society. I’m currently a captain of my school’s debate team and have published articles online. I love music, acting, reading, and speech! I’m looking into pursuing law and dramaturgy/music in college, and I’m eager to spark more important conversations through this program!

Read Aliyah’s opinion piece published by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Ankita, 15
Georgia

My name is Ankita, and I will be a sophomore during the 2023-2024 school year! My passions lie in writing, music, and my community. I volunteer at my local library, participate in color guard, play flute and guitar, and write poetry whenever inspiration strikes me! I work as a volunteer editor for an organization and also hope to get my writing published somewher`e. I am beyond excited to work for my community as a part of SAS!

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Read Ankita’s opinion piece published by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Branda, 16
California

Hello, my name is Branda & I live in sunny SoCal. I’ve always been a reader; I remember getting those plastic medals for reading so many books in elementary school. I got into politics during the pandemic and have since become a dedicated advocate for marginalized communities and have seen the importance of uncensored, unbiased education.

Japji,15
Ohio

Hi, my name is Japji and I am a rising sophomore from Ohio. I enjoy reading and want to be able to help teens’ voices be heard, as well as advocate for rights in my community. I’m excited to be part of NCAC and I can’t wait to see what we accomplish!

Julia, 17
Tennessee

Hi! My name is Julia. I am an active participant in many clubs in my school. More specifically, I am the president of our GSA and Young Women’s Studies Clubs. I also play competitive soccer and enjoy traveling around the country to my games. Fighting censorship is something that has become very important to me, and you can often find me at school board meetings fighting against book bans and advocating for the voices of students in my county! In the last year, I have also led a school walkout and community march to combat gun violence, and I am excited to join this project to learn how to further be a force of change in my community.

Follow local Students for Free Speech activities on Instagram.

Kaya, 16
New York

Hi, my name is Kaya, and I am from Brooklyn, NY! I am currently studying Law and Society at my school. Through NCAC’s SAS program, I am fighting for freedom of speech: the foundation of American democracy. The “issues” Congress chooses to focus on are not nearly as threatening as they perceive them – freedom of speech should not suffer because of that.

Malaika, 16
California

Hello! I’m Malaika. I am a rising junior at a public high school in Southern California, where I participate in Model United Nations and Varsity Track and Field. I am passionate about restructuring the American Education, Justice, and Healthcare systems and hope to help provide my peers a safe space to advocate for what they believe in through this program.

Read Malaika’s opinion piece published by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Maggie, 16
Iowa

My name is Maggie and I am currently a junior in high school. I play volleyball and I am involved in student council and model un. Along with being in high school, I am also studying political science at the local community college. I am passionate about being a part of the change I want to see. I am incredibly excited to be a part of SAS, and I cannot wait to see the changes the NCAC and their student advocates will make!

Mariaelena, 16
California

My name is Mariaelena, and I am going to be a Senior this upcoming school year. I currently attend High School in California. I’ve lived here my entire life, and I am more than excited to start a Student Advocates for Speech Club at my school, which has never been done so before in any school near my area.

Read Mariaelena’s opinion piece published by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Mikaela B., 16
Nevada

Hello! My name is Mikaela and I am a rising senior from Las Vegas Nevada. I love to read, write, and act. My favorite books are The Fault in our Stars, The Perks of being a Wallflower, and Twilight. I am honored to be a member of Student Advocates for Speech and am so excited for this upcoming school year!

Mikaela H., 15
New York

Hello, my name is Mikaela, and I am a rising junior from Brooklyn, New York. I love to watch basketball, play tennis, and read. I am super excited to be a part of NCAC’s SAS team, and I cannot wait to see what we do this year!

Read Mikaela’s opinion piece published by the National Council of Teachers of English.

Molly, 17
Oregon

Hi there, my name is Molly, and I’m from Tigard, Oregon. I will be a senior this 2023-24 school year and am super excited to bring SAS to my school! I hope through this club, I can help educate students and encourage people to advocate not only for their own rights, but for the rights of our community. I am also involved in journalism, volunteering, and politics, and can’t wait to bring student advocacy to Oregon!

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Nasim, 16
Texas

Hello, my name is Nasim. From early childhood till recently, I’ve always had an extreme passion for uplifting silenced and/or forgotten voices within my community. I have worked hard through a variety of local community based organizations to give back to those forgotten individuals, as well as work with several national institutes to bring activism on a much wider scale. My favorite extracurricular activity is Speech and Debate where I have since become a national semifinalist in just two years of competing. I’m excited to use my skills to help the betterment of those who need it most.

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Chloe
Connecticut

My name is Chloe, and I am from Cheshire, CT. I have a strong passion for serving those around me through numerous forms of community service, including making handmade cards of positivity for senior citizens and actively deployed soldiers of the U.S. military. I aim to assist the marginalized in society and those who face difficult circumstances in life. The people of our world have voices to share, and I strive to be an advocate in making all voices heard.

Cyntia
Florida

Hello, I’m Cyntia. I’m an activist in my community; I’m audacious in my speech; and I’m always willing to lend a helping hand to others. I specialize in educational inequality and spend my time spreading awareness on sexual abuse and its implications on society. I am a Prep Scholar, Hamilton Scholar, and a Pioneer Scholar.

Da’Taeveyon, 15
Texas

Assalaikum, my name is Da’Taeveyon. I like playing my viola, knitting, and spending time with my friends. I also like reading books without the constant fear of them being deemed inappropriate and taken away by those who are more worried about regulating people’s right to express themselves rather than the real problem(s) of this “country.”

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Read Da’Taeveyon’s article on Intellectual Freedom in Shift Press

Ian
Pennsylvania

My name is Ian and I’m a lifelong resident of Clarks Green, PA. It’s basically Scranton. I love microbiology, scary stories, and my Shih Tzu.

Katie
Missouri

Hello, my name is Katie and I am a rising junior from St. Louis, Missouri! My passions lie in advocacy and journalism, which often go hand in hand. In my free time, I also enjoy reading a good book and running recreationally. I am beyond excited to be a part of the NCAC’s SAS program, more specifically, I am looking forward to developing skills to help make my voice heard and encourage others to advocate for what is important to them. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish this year!

Max
New Jersey

My name is Max and I am a soon-to-be junior. I’m very involved in local activism, including marches, protests, and speaking at Board of Education meetings. In school, I am the Vice President of our GSA club. I also do fencing and philosophy club. Outside of school I am involved in community theater and babysitting. I’m super excited to be involved in the fight against censorship in schools!

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Oliver
New York

Hi, I’m Oliver! I am 16 years old, and a rising junior in Dobbs Ferry, NY. My biggest hobby is all things politics, and I also love theater, music, and reading. Participating in this project is really exciting for me! I hope to focus on student press and expression rights throughout America, as well as fighting against censorship and overbearing prior review.

Read Oliver’s opinion piece in The Hudson Independent

Owen
Missouri

Hello! My name is Owen. I have worked around my school fighting for the voices and rights of students in my district, as well as leading clubs and activities supporting these ideas. I’m thrilled to be on NCAC’s SAS team!

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Riley
Pennsylvania

I run cross country, and track and field, as well as participate in my school’s speech team. I am very excited to help teens find their voice. I hope the principles of free expression that will be practiced by students are able to transcend into the surrounding community.

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Sam
Texas

Sylvia
Missouri

Hi, I am Sylvia. I will be a sophomore during the 2022-2023 school year. I am excited for the next year, to make change with the help of my peers. As well as reaching out to organizations in our community, organizing protests, and standing up for what is right. And to be on the NCAC’s SAS team!

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Learn more about the Student Advocates for Speech