The Future of Student Leadership in San José Unified

This school year, San José Unified is proud to welcome two dynamic student leaders to the Board of Education: Sophie Santos, a senior at San José High, serving as the Student Board Member, and Diana Loveland, a senior at Gunderson High, serving as the Alternate Student Board Member. These students bring passion, dedication, and a shared commitment to elevating student voice across the district. Get to know more about their journeys, motivations, and hopes for the year ahead in their own words.

Sophie’s path to becoming a student board member began with a push of encouragement from those around her. “I had no clue of what it entailed,” she said. “My principal began briefly recommending me, and my activities director would give general information, but I never considered myself as a candidate.”

Despite initial doubts, Sophie submitted her application, thanks in large part to the support of her school community. “I had absolutely no hope,” she admitted, “but I received the acceptance call directly after and screamed and jumped up and down in the middle of cheer practice!” For Sophie, this role is more than just a title, it's a responsibility she takes seriously. “Being a student board member means representing those who aren't always heard… I want to help ensure others can get a student perspective on decisions impacting the school community.”

A lifelong cheerleader, leadership student, and swim teacher, Sophie brings a wealth of experience to the boardroom. “Each position I take on is rewarding and challenging in its own way,” she shared. “Especially my role in our Student Site Council, where we’ve had to discuss controversial or intense issues in meetings that have prepared me for this position.”

When she’s not leading or teaching, Sophie loves crafting and gift giving, currently working on custom bones for her football team’s rivalry game and cherishes her time with her cheer squad. “Cheer is probably my favorite thing that takes up my time. I love football season and competition season and every practice I’m surrounded by my best friends.”

Her advice for students considering leadership? “DO IT! I've never been so grateful for the opportunities that being involved in my school and community has given me. Ever since taking that step, I've never been so confident to just put myself out there.”

Diana, this year’s Alternate Student Board Member, found her spark for advocacy at an Intradistrict Leadership Committee (ILC) meeting. “Seeing everyone from all over San José come together to discuss solutions to problems was not only interesting, but also helped me express problems I was having within my school.” For Diana, being on the board means acting as a translator of sorts, helping students understand how board decisions impact them directly. “Sometimes it’s hard to see how school board decisions impact students in their everyday lives. Being a student board member allows me to communicate that perspective, sort of like an ambassador!”

She’s especially interested in hearing from students whose voices might not always reach district level conversations. “I’ve heard that it’s hard to gain input from kids of lower grades, like middle school and elementary, so I hope to consult their perspective more maybe by talking to younger siblings of high schoolers!” With four years of high school leadership under her belt, Diana brings confidence and collaboration to the table. “I’m used to public speaking, communicating with others, and working with people unlike myself toward a common goal.”

Outside of school, Diana describes herself as a creative soul who enjoys reading, drawing, and gaming. “Cookie Run: Kingdom has been my go to for the past several years,” she said with a smile. And yes, she’s a proud cat mom, four times over. “Kaiju, Arya, New Guy, and Jinx… they’re all very dear to me, especially Kaiju, who is my baby.”

Her advice to students interested in leadership? Start where you are. “Don’t worry about going big right away, it’s okay to start small! Even voicing your concerns to your administrators or volunteering at leadership events can help. From my experience, you take one small step, and everything should snowball from there.”

With Sophie and Diana representing student voices, the future of student leadership in San José Unified looks bright. Their passion, empathy, and determination promise not only to strengthen the bridge between students and district leadership, but also to inspire others to take that first step into leadership and advocacy.

We are excited to see what these two student leaders accomplish this school year, and we know they’ll make San José Unified proud!