Reflections from Aspen Challenge Boston  

Through the Aspen Challenge, high school students are invited to step into their power as leaders, identifying real challenges in their communities and designing solutions rooted in their own experiences. In partnership with school districts, Aspen Challenge creates spaces where youth voice is celebrated, trusted, and acted upon. 

This year, Aspen Challenge returned to Boston Public Schools, bringing together students and educators from 15 high schools participating in the experience. As a sister program to Aspen Challenge, the Bezos Scholars Program sends two BSP alums to each city to volunteer, deepen their leadership experience and engage with the program in new ways. 

Read below for a reflection from Ana Garces (2022 Scholar) and Angelica Mejia (2024 Scholar), who interned at Aspen Challenge Boston.  

When Youth Voice is Taken Seriously 

Ana Garces, 2022 Scholar   

Spoken word artist Amanda Shea said, “If that’s what you love to do, then that’s what you are.” That really stuck with me, but what stayed with me was the feeling of being taken seriously. Being given a space where your ideas are validated, especially as a young person, can be life-changing. Some issues can only be solved by those directly affected, and this experience made that feel real.  

One of the most meaningful aspects of the Aspen Challenge was seeing what it looks like when youth voice is encouraged and respected. Young people are constantly reminded that they are the future, but are rarely treated like their ideas are valuable. In Boston, that was different. People were genuinely listening, and what students said actively shaped the conversation.  

That shifted how I think about agency; It’s not just about speaking, it’s about being in a space where your voice can influence others. Many of the ideas presented in the Solutions Showcase felt strong because they came from lived experience. It was evident that they were speaking on experiences they’ve had, which made everything feel more honest and grounded.  

I was also struck by how collaborative everything felt. Ideas were developed through thoughtful, considerate conversation. Watching a group of students working together on one challenge, to come up with a solution, is where some of the strongest ideas emerged.  

At the same time, I realized how rare that kind of space is. Aspen Challenge showed what happens when young people are trusted to create and lead. It was evident that the problem isn’t that young people don’t care or don’t have ideas. They’re just not always allowed to express them in ways that can be heard.  

Being a part of Aspen Challenge changed how I see my own voice. It made me more aware that my perspective has value, even when I’m not confident about sharing it. There is a responsibility that comes with that awareness. If youth voice is as powerful as this experience showed it can be, then using that voice intentionally matters.  

I feel so fortunate to have been a part of the Aspen Challenge team. This experience showed me what youth voice and agency can look like when students are taken seriously. It reminded me that we don’t have to be ready or hit a certain age to make an impact. The ability to contribute already exists within us. The difference is whether we are in spaces that allow that to happen and how we choose to use those spaces when we find them. 

Chasing Snow, Finding Purpose  

Angelica Mejia, 2024 Scholar  

Entirely unfamiliar, Boston welcomed me with an air that whispered, “Put on a coat,” and streets lined with beautiful brown brick buildings that felt like they carried stories older than anything I had ever known. History stood still in those walls, but my eyes kept on searching for something else. 

The snow. 

Born and raised in Florida, winter had always been something gentle, almost playful. Seventy-degree days and coats worn more for the aesthetic than for warmth. Snow belonged to another world; one I had only seen through screens and pictures. It felt distant, almost imaginary. 

But standing there, in a place where it was real, my excitement turned into curiosity. I wanted to feel it, to understand it, (and eat it, if possible). What I didn’t expect was that this curiosity wouldn’t stop at the snow; It would stretch beyond it, unfolding into everything I was about to experience. 

That same feeling followed me into the Aspen Challenge. 

I found myself surrounded by students whose energy felt almost tangible, filled with anticipation, passion, and a quiet determination that hadn’t fully revealed itself. Most didn’t know what they were stepping into, but somehow that uncertainty became something beautiful; it became a possibility. 

From the front row, I watched as ideas began to form. At first, they came slowly, carefully, but then they started to build. One thought layered onto another, voices overlapping, perspectives expanding, until the room felt alive with purpose. Their ideas rose like snowfall, gentle and timid at first, then gathered and grew until they became undeniable. Something real. 

And then came the Solutions Showcase, an opportunity for each school team to present their solution to one of the five challenges they were given back in February at the Challenge Forum. 

The Solutions Showcase was overwhelming in the best way. There were moments of silence, moments of pride, and moments when I had to pick my jaw up off the floor, in awe of the creativity the students brought to their projects. Watching students stand on that stage, facing a sea of eyes, was powerful because it isn’t easy.  

What stayed with me most wasn’t just their ideas, but their words. Hearing them say they would continue their projects reminded me that this experience was never about recognition. It was about purpose. It was about believing that their voices mattered enough to create change. 

That’s what made this experience feel so significant. 

The Aspen Challenge gives students more than resources or awards; it gives them belief. The kind of belief that tells them they are capable, that their ideas are valuable, and that they are already standing as the leaders of today. 

A quote that was shared echoed in my mind:

“Young people are moments away from being tomorrow’s decision-makers.” 

And I realized how true that is. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to say yes. One moment of encouragement. One opportunity. Change happens when we engage in meaningful conversations about societal issues, inspire curiosity and responsibility, and support young people in finding their voice. 

I didn’t leave Boston with snow in my pockets, though I wish I could have kept even a small piece of it. But I left with something far more lasting. 

I left with the memory of faces filled with courage, inspiration, and with hearts committed to building a future that doesn’t just exist, but one that is fought for, shaped, and believed in. 

And somehow, that felt even more magical than the snow.