Embedded Files
The San Diego Unified School District is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. Programs and activities shall be free from discrimination by reason of the following actual or perceived characteristics: actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, nationality, age, creed, marital status, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
“As the second-largest school district in California, San Diego Unified encompasses a wide variety of communities comprised of incredible teachers, staff, families, and of course – students. Our day-to-day mission is to ensure all students’ voices are heard AND listened to, no matter their geographical and/or sociocultural circumstances. This website includes information about internships, public forums, and other amazing opportunities to engage and inspire us, the students. We’re thrilled to see how you get involved!”
- Ashley Ordaz and Alina Nguyen
Student Board Member Lauren Ly was sworn into office on June 9, 2026, after being one of the top two vote earners in a May 2026 election where more than 4,000 San Diego Unified students cast their ballots.
Lauren Ly is a driven and dedicated advocate for fairness and equity. An incoming Junior at Scripps Ranch High School, she is a thoughtful leader who works tirelessly to elevate student voices across the San Diego Unified School District.
As a Student Equity Ambassador, Lauren led the Civic Engagement group, guiding meaningful dialogue with district representatives to highlight the importance of student perspectives. Her commitment to student well-being extends districtwide. As a student panelist, she helped define student wellness for a national survey, shaping how schools understand and support youths. She is the founder of her community’s first UNICEF chapter, organizing advocacy and fundraising efforts for underserved children nationwide.
Lauren balances her leadership roles with her love for athletics as a committed field hockey player during both her freshman and sophomore years. She serves as the Vice President of the Mock Trial and Model United Nations Club, guiding her team through case preparation, legal analysis, and global diplomacy. Additionally, she is a delegate and secretary for the Model United Nations Club, where she has garnered multiple awards for her leadership role in tackling global issues.
Her passion for helping others fueled her interest in pursuing a career in law. She was recently accepted into a Summer Law Academy, where she will shadow legal professionals, observe courtroom proceedings, and gain firsthand experience in the legal field.
When she is not busy making boba drinks at work, Lauren enjoys running, hiking, playing the piano and cello, and preparing matcha drinks for herself. She is also passionate about artistic expression. She expresses her creativity by designing logos for several school clubs and by writing poetry, reflecting her belief in storytelling as a powerful driver of empathy and change. One of her poems was published in the American Library of Poetry’s 2025 anthology.
Driven by fairness and collaboration, Lauren hopes to continue uplifting student voices and expanding opportunities for all. She carries with her a guiding belief that reflects her approach to leadership and growth: “Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Student Board Member Ethan Ramirez was sworn into office on June 9, 2026, after being one of the top two vote earners in a May 2026 election where more than 4,000 San Diego Unified students cast their ballots.
Ethan Ramirez is the newly elected Student Board representative of the San Diego Unified School District for the 2026-2027 school year. Being a San Diego native, he has attended Alice Birney Elementary and Roosevelt Middle School and is now a senior at San Diego High School. After spending all his years in the district, he has gained a good understanding of the processes and ways the district gets things done and is ready to make many positive changes. Ethan is very passionate about journalism and is one of the top reporters for his school's news team. During his senior year, he hopes to grow the program to new heights, improve his storytelling and editing skills, and continue to learn the best ways to communicate and capture student attention.
Having played sports all his life, Ethan has been on the football team and is a varsity player on the SDHS lacrosse team. Being one of the team leaders for the past 2 years has taught him responsibility, hard work, and dedication that have led to results. Ethan has also, for the past 3 years, been a leader in his ASB class. He has been in charge of all of the fundraising and money tracking for the last two years, which has taught him organization and fun ideas to help raise money for his class.
Along with all of that, Ethan has been a 5-year member of the student advisory board, which is responsible for helping the Student board members get different perspectives from around the district. Since the 7th grade, Ethan has been advocating for students and his school and sharing ideas to help improve students' learning experiences. He hopes now that he is one of the Student Board members to use the skills and ideas of the student advisory board to help make a good change on a large scale.
Ethan is the eldest son in his family of four; his younger brother is now starting his freshman year at High Tech High. Being the older brother has taught him a ton of important lessons about being a role model, and in his free time, he enjoys playing chess online, working out with his friends, and editing videos for fun.
On the school board, Ethan is Excited to give other students a voice on the district level, while helping bring communication between the district and students to a level that has not been seen before. He is really grateful to be able to represent so many amazing students and is ready and eager to start the year.
"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t being said." — Peter Drucker
Page updated
Report abuse