Some voices stand out right away, while others take time to grow into something people listen to. For senior Emilya Garza, high school became that space, not just to speak up but to understand how to turn her voice into something that actually makes an impact. Through her work in student council, she has focused on creating that same opportunity for others.

As student body president, Garza has spent the past year doing more than planning events or running meetings. She has focused on building a space where students feel heard.

“I help facilitate meetings every Friday for students to come and propose their ideas on what they want to add to our school,” Garza said. “I try to make sure every single person in our student body is heard.”

But for Garza, leadership was never just about the position–it started much earlier, long before she ever held the title. In middle school, after first discovering the student council, Garza wrote a letter to herself with one goal in mind.

“I told myself I was going to be student body president,” Garza said. “And the fact that I was actually able to get there… it showed me that I was capable of reaching my goals, even when it felt hard along the way.”

That moment, she said, shaped the way she sees herself now, not just as a leader, but as someone capable of creating real change. Over time, that mindset grew into something more defined. Through the student council, Garza began to understand what leadership truly meant.

“When I first started, I didn’t realize how much change even a small group of people could make,” Garza said. “We could create a whole event with just five students. Being a leader means being a voice for people who may not have one.” 

Next year, Garza will attend the University of Colorado Boulder on a pre-law track, a path shaped not by a single moment but by years of instinct and experience. Through her involvement in Teen Court, where she served on over 100 cases, she discovered a natural pull toward advocacy.

“I realized I really enjoy building a story and understanding different perspectives,” Garza said. “I’ve always been someone who wants to step in and make sure things are made right.”

That desire to stand up for others connects directly to the impact she has already made on campus. During her time in student council, Garza helped lead major changes, including organizing homecoming through the organization for the first time and increasing meeting attendance from just a handful of students to over 100.

“The fact that we were able to grow from about five people to over 100 at our first meeting is something I’m really proud of,” Garza said. “It shows that people want to be involved when they feel like they matter.”

While her leadership is visible in numbers and events, its roots run deeper, grounded in the values she learned at home.

“My little sister has Down Syndrome, and seeing how she was treated really influences me,” Garza said. “It made me want to create spaces where people feel included and comfortable speaking up.”

Growing up in a family that emphasized awareness, gratitude and standing up for others, Garza developed a mindset that now defines her leadership style. Whether it was watching the news each morning or learning to speak her mind, those early influences shaped the way she approaches both challenges and decisions.

As she prepares to leave high school, Garza looks ahead with excitement, especially at the opportunity to meet new people and step into a completely new environment.

“I always say a stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet,” Garza said  “So I’m excited to meet all my new friends in Boulder.”

At the same time, she knows that starting over comes with uncertainty, particularly as she plans to continue student government at the college level.

“It’s a new environment with people who all have different goals,” Garza said. “I’ll have to learn how to work with them and understand where they’re coming from.”

Still, if there’s one thing Garza will take with her, it’s a shift in perspective that only experience can teach,

“When I was younger, I thought everyone was watching me,” she said. “ But the truth is, no one really is. If you want people to care, you have to make an impact.”

And for Garza, that is exactly what she had done. Not just by holding a title, but by turning it into something that lasts far beyond it.