Once students identified the urgent need for restroom-accessible menstrual products, The Fund partnered with

The Garage Community and Youth Center  and the school district to bring the initiative to life. With overwhelming backing from administration, the program expanded into the high school, hosting bi-weekly sessions directly during the school day over four months. The initial meetings laid a powerful educational foundation in local government. Students explored school board dynamics, policy creation, local elections, and the mechanics of "management versus governance" while mastering advocacy communication and strategic problem-solving. 

 

We then discussed what they wanted to see out of the policy – providing existing examples and discussing what additional language they wanted to see in a policy. Together, they created a draft policy to propose to the board. 

 

One of the most important components to this, and all civic engagement efforts, is doing the work firsthand. The students researched what school board members were on what committees, which committee would oversee this specific issue, and emailed the appropriate board members. Their emails included who they were, their “why”, and their proposed solution to the problem (the policy).  

 

The momentum culminated in the ultimate test of student advocacy: taking the floor during the public comment section of a school board meeting. After enduring an hour and a half of dense administrative discussion, five brave students stepped up to the podium. To prepare for this high-stakes moment, the group had meticulously crafted their testimonies. Standing at the microphone before the school board, top administrators, and community members, the students delivered their pitch with conviction. Afterward, the consensus was unanimous—while the experience was incredibly nerve-wracking and outside their comfort zones, they felt an overwhelming sense of pride and empowerment for having done it. 

 

This is what empowerment looks like – supporting those who should have a seat at the table to do hard things – and succeed. 

 

The Board and administrators were very receptive, supportive, and thoughtful in their response; we are truly grateful for the collaborative relationships that have been formed. It was clear – they were excited to see students that they don’t normally see at meetings and wanted to support them. 

 

Recognizing that the traditional school-day format didn't feel comfortable or accessible everyone, The Fund decided to support students who initially felt uncomfortable by creating dedicated virtual sessions were launched for the first two months, allowing these students to engage meaningfully on their own terms and therefore not fall behind. This thoughtful approach paid off: by the third month, right before the school board meeting, walls had broken down, and a strong foundation of trust was formed, prompting these students to attend their first in-person meeting. To maintain this momentum and accommodate varying comfort levels, the initiative continued a hybrid model, pairing virtual check-ins and additional support with in-person collaboration to ensure every student's advocacy journey was positive and empowering. 

 

 This is how you engage the people most impacted by the issues – you offer support to reduce barriers, meeting people where they are.  

 

After that first meeting, while waiting for parents to pick up the students, we discussed the experience, their thoughts, and ideas for moving forward. A board member mentioned to the students that he thought they should go statewide with the policy push and we discussed engaging the First Lady given her interest in the issue. One of the students shared that she thought the meeting “wasn’t too boring. It is nice hearing the behind-the-scenes". All were excited about next steps – they felt heard, and they felt seen.  

 

Over the course of the initiative, the students met about 15x in addition to attending 3 board meetings. At the third board meeting, the students presented the policy to the board, a task usually led solely by administration. 5 students shared their “why” (the need for the policy) and their suggestions for implementation. All of the students did an incredible job – they used their voice to advocate for an important cause, changing not only their educational experience, but the experiences of their peers – for the better.  

 

On May 28th 2026, the Avon Grove School Board unanimously passed a policy to ensure menstrual equity in their district. Starting fall of the 2026-2027, products will be available in the secondary bathrooms. To see the policy, click here.

 

The Avon Grove students are not done yet – they are working on taking this movement to the next level – the state!

Stay tuned for more updates on their incredible efforts!