Whidbey teens join in civics summit
Published 1:30 am Friday, February 27, 2026
When students from Oak Harbor High School and Coupeville High School logged on to a statewide civic education summit this month, they joined more than 140 young people working to tackle a problem found in Washington schools: a lack of basic civic knowledge.
The summit, organized by the Association of Washington Student Leaders, was led by 18-year-old Advocacy and Policy Chair Aanchal Batwara, who lives part-time on Whidbey. Batwara said the idea began after surveying students at her own STEM-focused high school in Redmond.
Out of 50 to 60 students asked to name the three branches of government, only 12% could do so correctly. She realized this might be a bigger issue statewide. Batwara brought the concern to AWSL’s 60-member Advocacy and Policy Committee. Together, students surveyed more than 900 students and administrators across cities, including Pullman, Yakima, Langley and Redmond. The pattern, she said, was consistent: as the state makes budget cuts, civic-related courses take a hit.
In response, she began drafting a bill in October 2024 that would have secured state funding for an annual civic education summit. However, when funding challenges stalled the legislation, she refused to back down from her dream, so she and a small team of adults began building the event from scratch.
Her efforts resulted in the first-ever student-led civic education summit in AWSL’s 70-year history. The summit featured speakers including Senator T’wina Nobles, Representative Osman Salahuddin and Senator Claire Wilson. It also hosted youth advocacy groups like the League of Education Voters and Washington Youth Alliance.
Over the two-day event, more than 100 students attended in person at the State Capitol, with another 45 joining virtually — including several from Whidbey Island. For the island residents who participated virtually and in person, the event offered a chance to engage in civic leadership beyond their local classrooms and despite their career aspirations. Batwara, who also leads a Washington Youth Alliance chapter serving Island County, said she hopes this is just the beginning of stronger youth civic engagement on the island.
“Your voices are also important,” Batwara said, explaining why a virtual option was critical. As a sophomore, she once missed a legislative event she desperately wanted to attend because she couldn’t make the trip. She didn’t want other students to face the same barrier.
For 17-year-old Coupeville resident Elijah Tran, the summit sparked a new passion for state-level civic engagement.
“Growing up in Island County, you don’t always feel like state-level politics has anything to do with you. This summit completely flipped that for me, ” he said in a response form. “I’ve never really learned any of these things in school. I came home to Coupeville ready to start something. For a first-ever event, the organization did an unbelievable job. I’d love to help plan the next one.”
The summit featured interactive workshops on voter registration, youth advocacy and a hands-on bill-writing workshop — Batwara’s favorite part of the day, she said, and she led it herself. As a former Senate page, she credits learning how to draft a bill as a turning point in her own leadership journey. Students worked in small groups to draft their own mock legislation on issues ranging from artificial intelligence to financial aid.
Batwara recalled a lesson that surfaced repeatedly throughout the summit, “It takes one leader to make change and one to inspire others.” The summit itself is just the beginning, she said. Batwara plans to lead it again next year before heading to college, where she will study political science and government as well as pursue a STEM degree.
But for now, her focus remains on Washington students, and teaching them that leadership and advocacy don’t stop when high school ends.
“It was a victory for students. I’m honestly so honored to have been a part of this summit,” Batwara said.
