The following article first appeared in The Wave, the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s Newsletter. For the rest of the issue, past issues, and information on subscribing, click here. To see the rest of the finalists profiles, click here.
Students from Santa Monica High School’s (Samohi) Law and Public Policy Academy presented youth-focused policy proposals during the Academy’s Advocacy Showcase held Dec. 16, 2025 in the Exploration Pitch
Space on campus.
The event featured five student presentations selected through a peer and teacher voting process. Students
presented policy memos and advocacy advertisements addressing issues impacting youth, including water
conservation, accessibility, social services for youth, immigration services and education and programming in incarcerated settings.
Samohi’s Law and Public Policy Academy is a cross-curricular program for 11th and 12th grade students that integrates English composition, government and economics and a Career Technical Education public service course in law and public policy, emphasizing civic engagement and preparation for college and careers in public service.
The Advocacy Showcase marked the culmination of the Academy’s fall advocacy unit, during which students identified public problems, conducted research and evaluated policy options using the FEAST framework. FEAST guides students in evaluating policy ideas based on feasibility, use of evidence, appropriate authority, specificity and scalability, and whether proposals are targeted and timely. Students also collaborated with Samohi’s Graphic Design Career Technical Education classes to develop advocacy materials designed for public audiences.
“The final projects showcased reflect a depth of learning, empathy and commitment to social justice and community well-being,” said Dr. Devon Smith, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District’s (SMMUSD) Coordinator of Learning and Innovation. “Additionally, students in the Law & Public Policy Academy and teachers across all Samohi’s academies—Law & Public Policy, Samohi student presenters with teachers Bryn Boyd, Alana Rivera and Samantha Eden.
Health & Wellness, and Engineering—share a strong culture of creativity, collaboration and camaraderie. Within each academy’s integrated curriculum, the collective effort creates high quality conditions for real world, career-connected project-based learning, such as our advocacy showcase.”
Author
About The Author
