July 15 – 24, 2025 Online
Jump to:
• About the Institute
• How to Apply
• Meet the Class of 2025-26
• Read Reflections from the 2025 Class
About the Institute
SPLC is proud to host the annual New Voices Student Leaders Institute, a free online program for high school students to improve their leadership and organizing skills, develop their role as leaders within the New Voices movement, and identify the best strategy to expand student press freedom in their communities.
Participants in the all-online program will be joined by SPLC staff, New Voices leaders, and special guests to learn their unique capacity as organizers, deepen their understanding of civics, lobbying and press freedom, and expand their ability to act as advocates. By the end of the Institute, Student Leaders will identify the pressing needs in their state and local communities and the unique ways in which students can respond, as well as possess the tools necessary to combat these challenges.
Participation in the Institute is free, but students will commit to serve as student leaders in the New Voices movement during the 2025-2026 advocacy year.
How to Apply
Applications for the 2025 New Voices Student Leaders Institute are now closed. Thank you for your interest in our program! For more information or to get involved with the New Voices movement, contact our Advocacy and Organizing Team at newvoices@splc.org.
Meet the Class of 2025-26
Arkansas
Ava Kate White – Little Rock Central High School
I am Ava Kate White from Little Rock, Arkansas! I am a senior at Little Rock Central High School where I am the print editor for my school’s publication, The Tiger Newsmagazine. This summer I was thrilled to represent Arkansas at the Al Neuharth Free Spirit Conference in D.C. Outside of journalism, I manage my friends’ band, The Boardwalk, advocate for Arkansas rice production by being a 2025 Rice Rep, and participate in local legislative cycles by giving testimonies and being involved in Arkansas’ model legislature. I also love to shop, hike, play guitar, and hang out with my friends. As a student journalist, I am very passionate about protecting our rights and have given testimony at the capital to do so. I believe that just because we are not of age to vote, we should still have the right to express ourselves and report on the truth.
California
Connor Hsiao – Portola High School
My name is Connor Hsiao, and I’m from Orange County, California. I’m a part of the class of 2026 and currently serve as Editor-in-Chief of my school’s yearbook, now entering my fourth year in journalism. Being in cross country and track, I know what it’s like to feel overlooked; most people don’t even know the difference between the two sports. As a Taiwanese American, I’ve heard, “Isn’t that just Chinese?” more times than I can count. But behind these assumptions are stories waiting to be told—ones we often miss, even when they’re right in front of us. As a nationally recognized designer, I’m excited to be a leader in New Voices and help publications embrace the First Amendment to amplify voices like mine.
Emma Shen – Aragon High School
Hi! My name is Emma Shen, and I’m a rising senior at Aragon High School in San Mateo, as well as the incoming Co-Editor-In-Chief of our school paper, the Outlook. These past three years, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed getting to know our school through reporting on prominent issues as a news writer, and then advocating for change on campus as an editorial director the following year. And that kind of positive change starts by making sure that the voices of the community are heard, and, in line with the values of New Voices, that the voices of the writers are being protected. That latter half may be difficult in a nation where press freedom becomes increasingly fragile and expressing one’s opinions can spark backlash, but New Voices offers a way to challenge that and keep important conversations alive.
Florida
Allie Chung – Pine View School
My name is Allie Chung, and I am a rising senior at Pine View School. As I enter my fourth year with our school’s newspaper, The Torch, I am honored to serve as assistant editor-in-chief. One of the things that I value the most is my commitment to uncovering and sharing the truth, an eagerness reflected in my work as an attorney for Teen Court and in my research on diversity among female news anchors. Working with New Voices aligns deeply with my personal mission to bring awareness to censorship’s harmful repercussions, and I am here today determined to empower student voices and to make purposeful change.
Alex Lieberman – Pine View School
My name is Alex Lieberman, and I’m the Opinion Editor at my school’s publication, The Torch! I am a rising junior from Florida, a state that has no student press freedom laws, and my publication is subject to frequent censorship. I am out to change that. Outside of school, I have also worked at a local radio station where I produced weekly broadcasts and reports. I love writing, photography, reading, animals, and mathematics. I look forward to two more years as a high school journalist!
Gabriela Quintero – Florida Atlantic University High School
My name is Gabriela Quintero, and I am a rising senior at FAU High School in Boca Raton, Florida. Although I was born in Bogotá, Colombia, I have spent most of my life in Florida. I am currently the Editor-in-Chief for my school’s newspaper and am also one of the youngest college newspaper editors for Florida Atlantic University’s “University Press,” which I have been a part of for the past 2 years, and where I now sit as Managing Editor. Journalism, however, isn’t my only passion. I am also the Vice-President of Growing Native Oases Made for Engagement, a local non-profit inspiring high school students to protect the environment through community-based gardening initiatives, and the Founder and President of my school’s chapter of The Young Writers’ Initiative, where I combine students’ love for creative writing with community service. All in all, I feel that it is important to highlight students’ humanity and unique voices in anything they decide to do, which is why I am a part of the New Voices Initiative today. Fostering a safe and open environment for students to speak the truth is imperative to society as a whole.
Georgia
Izabelle Jones – Richmond Hill High School
Howdy! I’m Izabelle Jones, tuning in from southern Georgia! While we don’t have a school newspaper or journalism class, we do have important stories that deserve to be told. There’s so much happening in communities like mine, such as food insecurity, housing, and education equity, and it often gets overlooked. That’s exactly why I’m so passionate about building platforms where every student voice can be heard, especially those from places that often go unnoticed. Currently, New Voices is in a legislature session in Georgia. With New Voices, I want to help bring attention to students who have something to say but nowhere to say it. Together, we can ensure that no voices are left behind.
Betty Jane Plitt – McIntosh High School
My name is Betty Jane Plitt and I attend McIntosh High School in Peachtree City, GA. Since getting involved in journalism and hearing about the New Voices legislation, I have been passionate about the idea that everyone has a story. No matter how big or small, every single person has a story that deserves to be told. However, with the threat of student censorship and worry of speaking out, telling those stories has gotten increasingly more difficult. But with the New Voices legislation being passed in more and more states, that fear is lifting. My goal is to be a part of that movement and be a projector for the people who can’t speak for themselves.
Zelda Lerner – Midtown High School
My name is Zelda Lerner, and I am a rising senior at Midtown High School in Georgia. I am the News Managing Editor for my school’s paper, The Southerner, and a former Georgia Scholastic Press Student Ambassador. I enjoy writing about political issues, both local and national. I am passionate about New Voices, and I am looking forward to advocating in Georgia.
Illinois
Paul Putiatycki – Palatine High School
Hi, I’m Paul Putiatycki, a high school student from Illinois and a director of the Polish American Youth Council. As a member of my school’s journalism club, I’ve seen firsthand how essential it is to have advisers who can guide students in writing honest articles without risking their careers. I got involved with New Voices through HB 2932 and quickly realized how much work is still needed to protect student press rights. I believe every student deserves the freedom to report the truth, and every advisor deserves legal protection to support that. I’m passionate about helping move that mission forward in Illinois. And I’m excited to learn from others who care just as deeply about student journalism.
Maryland
Chelsea Zhu – Richard Montgomery High School
My name is Chelsea, and I’m a junior from Richard Montgomery High School in Maryland. Through my advocacy and journalism work, I believe in protecting free speech because it is the foundation of cultivating an open-minded and inclusive social ecosystem. With New Voices, I am committed to uplifting our rights in the First Amendment, which is what allows us to report and hold accountable for the practices, events, and actions of our community. Speaking up against censorship has been a priority of mine that I hope to carry to your schools and newsrooms—in hopes to reach every reader, administration, and student. Outside of New Voices, I am a smoothie bowl enthusiast and always love new writing prompt recommendations.
New York
Francesca Kamali – Brooklyn Technical High School
Hi! My name is Francesca Kamali and I’m from Brooklyn. I’m an editor on my school’s newspaper and I especially enjoy reporting on politics, which has brought me face to face with the struggles of censorship and reporting on controversial issues. I believe New Voices is important for supporting press freedom and informing students about their rights.
Natalie Viderman – Hunter College High School
My name is Natalie Viderman, and I am a rising senior at Hunter College High School in Manhattan, NY. After writing over twenty articles and spending four years at my school’s newspaper, I knew that student journalism is a gift worth sharing and preserving. I soon got involved with providing equitable journalism access for students in my city, where I work with the City Council to implement legislation. After reporting on controversial topics in my school’s newspaper and witnessing the power of journalism to transform communities, I am extremely passionate about the commitment to student press freedom that New Voices has. Student press freedom and student journalism should be a right, not a privilege. New Voices is making a better future for every young journalist, and I’m so excited to be a part of that future.
Emma Wilkins – Hunter College High School
My name is Emma Wilkins and I am a rising senior at Hunter College High School in New York City. I am an editor for my school newspaper, What’s What, and I am passionate about sharing undertold stories from my community in Brooklyn. I focus my reporting on sharing the experiences of immigrants from their own perspectives, to elevate their voices at a time when they are being villainized by our nation’s leaders. I hope to continue to share undertold stories as a professional journalist in the Middle East, and I have been studying Arabic to get started on this journey. School newspapers play a crucial role in sharing important information with young people, and student journalists deserve the right to exercise their press freedoms without fear. I am passionate about New Voices because I have been harmed by censorship attacks, and I want to work to make sure that future students in my community won’t have to face these struggles.
Pennsylvania
Anna Herickhoff – State College Area High School
My name is Anna Herickhoff, and I am a rising senior from State College, Pennsylvania. I serve as opinion editor for my school’s newspaper, Lion’s Digest. I’m interested in communications and political science, leading to my passion for protecting the freedom of press. Student journalists are journalists too, and journalism as a whole is vital to American democracy. Through New Voices, I believe that America can create an informed and empowered society where student voices are heard.
Calla Reynolds – Freedom Area Senior High School
My name is Calla Reynolds, and I am a rising senior at Freedom Area Senior High School. I currently serve as the Editor-in-Chief for our school newspaper, the FHS Press. Since junior high, I have been actively involved with my school’s journalism program, which has fueled my respect for student media. My experience as a journalist has enhanced my leadership skills, strengthened my commitment to credibility, and reshaped my viewpoint of the press. I am eager to further advocate for legislation that ensures other young journalists the ability to write, inform, and publish without the fear of unwarranted censorship.
Adwita Thorat – Perkiomen Valley High School
Hi! I’m Adwita Thorat, a rising senior at Perkiomen Valley High School, and the Co-Editor-In Chief of The Voice. My family emigrated from India when I was 7 and bounced around the United States before settling down in Pennsylvania 4 years ago. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, reading, baking, running, writing, and painting. I first joined The Voice in my freshman year as a writer. By my sophomore year, I was the Opinions Editor, and by my junior year, I gained my current position. Through my experience as a student journalist in a small town high school, I became passionate about fighting for the presence and value of student journalism in a community where it isn’t always prioritized.
Texas
Bethel Kifle – Bellaire High School
My name is Bethel Kifle, and I’m a rising junior and online editor for the Three Penny Press, Bellaire High School’s student newspaper in Houston, Texas. My parents are from Ethiopia, so I grew up surrounded by the rich traditions and culture of the Ethiopian community. I’ve also witnessed the discrimination and adversities minority communities face, which has fueled my drive for advocacy through journalism. I’m committed to writing about equity, representation, and student rights. Outside the newsroom, I love reading, playing tennis and watching romantic comedies. I’m excited to join New Voices and advocate for student press freedom in Texas and beyond.
Sydney Ortiz – Kingwood Park High School
My name is Sydney Ortiz, and I am a rising junior at Kingwood Park High School. This will be my third year on the KP Times newspaper staff, and I will be co-editor-in-chief. I am passionate about journalism, and love being able to amplify the voices of my classmates and community members. I feel strongly about New Voices, because I believe that student voices are extremely important to society and they should not be censored. I am excited to work to make that change and raise awareness on the regional and national level.
Virginia
Lizzie Sun – Chantilly High School
Hi! My name is Lizzie Sun from Chantilly, VA. I’m the editor-in-chief of my school’s student-run newspaper, The Purple Tide. As a student journalist who has experienced numerous instances of censorship and district policies that affect my school newspaper, I feel strongly about the need for advocacy. Our job as student journalists is to tell the truth, and if our ability is hindered, so is the voice for our community.
Washington
Koreb Tadesse – Lakeside School
Hi! My name is Koreb Tadesse, a rising senior at Lakeside School in Seattle. I serve as co-Editor-in-Chief of my school newspaper, and was introduced to the work of New Voices and the Student Press Law Center through the Private School Journalism Association’s Model Affirmation. I believe that the work New Voices does is incredibly important in empowering student journalists and ensuring that they have the ability to express themselves freely without fear of censorship, regardless of if they attend public or private schools.
Wisconsin
Alex Yu – Middleton High School
My name is Alex Yu, and I am a rising senior at Middleton High School in Middleton, Wisconsin. I am interested in a career in politics and have pursued that interest through various experiences and volunteer work in the legal field. In my effort to become a leader in the world of law and citizens’ rights, I joined New Voices Student Leaders Institute to become an advocate where I can help ensure that all students get the opportunity to express their voices. I hope this program will teach me the leadership skills necessary to make a meaningful difference in my community.
2025 Reflections
- Reflections from New Voices student leaders: Emma Wilkins - Emily Wilkins is a senior at Hunter College High School in New York where she serves as editor for her school newspaper, What’s What. She shares her experiences at the 2025 Institute and what comes next in her advocacy work.
- Reflections from New Voices student leaders: Ava Kate White - Ava Kate White is a senior at Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas where she serves as the print editor for her school’s publication, The Tiger Newsmagazine. She shares her experiences at the 2025 Institute and what comes next in her advocacy work.
- Reflections from New Voices student leaders: Alex Yu - Alex Yu is a rising senior at Middleton High School in Wisconsin. He shares his experiences at the 2025 Institute and what comes next in his advocacy work.
- Reflections from New Voices student leaders: Alex Lieberman - Alex Lieberman is a junior in Florida where they serve as the Opinion Editor at their school’s publication, The Torch. They share their experiences at the 2025 Institute and what comes next in their advocacy work.
Previous Institutes:
- 2024 New Voices Student Leaders Institute - Learn more about the 2024 New Voices Student Leaders Institute and meet the participants.
- 2023 New Voices Student Leaders Institute - Learn more about the 2023 New Voices Student Leaders Institute and meet the participants.
- 2022 New Voices Student Leaders Institute - Learn more about the 2022 New Voices Student Leaders Institute and meet the participants.
- 2021 New Voices Student Leaders Institute - New in 2021: Beginning advocates welcome! The Institute will include two tracks, one for experienced New Voices advocates who want to take their leadership and organizing skills to the next level, and one for new advocates who want to be a big part of New Voices.
- 2020 New Voices Student Leaders Institute - SPLC is proud to launch the first-ever NEW VOICES STUDENT LEADERS INSTITUTE, a program for students to develop their leadership and organizing skills and expand their role as leaders within the New Voices movement.