Sashary Zaroyan, 24

24-year-old Sashary Zaroyan is running for his hometown school board. A mental health advocate, he wants to reform schools to center the social and emotional health of its students.

Name: Sashary Zaroyan
Age: 24
Running For: Monrovia School Board

What was the best piece of advice you received before running for office?

 When I was pursuing my B.A. at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, a small cohort of students and I were selected to take part in the University’s Sacramento Experience Program. We were placed in policy and legislative internships at our state capitol and given the opportunity to attend guest lectures, one of which was given by former State Senator Patrick Johnston. I had the opportunity to ask him for advice about running for office in the future and he responded, “stick to your roots. No one is a better advocate for you in the community than people who’ve seen your dedication and passion.” I heard that three years ago, however it has always stuck with me and inspired me to advocate for my peers.

 When did you realize you wanted to run for office? When did the lightbulb go off?

My passion has always been giving back to Monrovia: I co-founded Healing Connections, a task force of district and school administrators, elected officials, religious and community leaders, and mental health agencies which provides mental health resources to my peers; while in Sacramento, I advocated for student mental health and equity-centered education policies, which I knew could significantly improve student outcomes in Monrovia; I am now hoping to bring state-wide best practices to Monrovia, while tailoring these practices for our diverse student populations. The unprecedented challenges our district is facing and the lack of a recent Monrovia public school graduate on the school board made me realize that there is no better time to run.

I watched board meetings and empathized with community members who openly discussed the lack of engagement and services to diverse communities. The data on the California School Dashboard confirmed these disparities, as our school district had high chronic absenteeism rates for diverse and vulnerable student populations, low math proficiency scores, and low levels of self-reported post-graduation preparedness. My biggest concern is the pandemic will only exacerbate our district’s ongoing failure to engage these students. 

You first got involved in youth mental health advocacy when you were in high school. What got you involved in the issue? Where do you feel schools can do a better job to support student mental and emotional health? 

Our community was experiencing a multitude of mental health crises during my time in high school. Since Monrovia is a small community, anything that occurred in our schools was known by everyone in town. After every crisis, students received an email from the district acknowledging the crisis and asking students to reach out if they needed someone to talk to. I was class president at the time and the lack of response to the crises from administration and the school board was a letdown for students.

I approached the district asking them to do more for my classmates. Once Healing Connections was established, we created workshops and resource fairs, brought in additional mental health services, and started an overdue dialogue about mental health in the community. My most rewarding accomplishment with Healing Connections was creating and distributing more than 15,000 hotline cards to students in our school district and Los Angeles County. The ultimate goal of Healing Connections was to change the conversation with the school district and faculty, so educators would actively reach out to students. There’s a fundamental barrier entrenched in the student-teacher relationship, since the teacher is the adult in the classroom. It’s absurd to hope that students will tell faculty that they’re in a crisis or experiencing depression, when only five minutes ago they had to raise their hand to use the restroom. 

Despite these structural problems, it’s important to acknowledge the diverse work schools and educators are asked to do. Education is the intersection where all social determinants impact students, and as such my goal if elected is to ensure that we as a school district look at the holistic needs of students. Revisiting district policies to ensure they account for various barriers that students face is vital. Some of the innovative solutions I’ve introduced to strengthen our services for social and emotional health are Adverse Childhood Experience Screenings (ACEs) and partnerships with our county behavioral health department to provide mental health services for all students, regardless of income eligibility. 

Schools are facing unprecedented challenges during this pandemic. What issues has COVID-19 created for Monrovia, and what would you do to tackle them? 

COVID-19 has created challenges in families that were unimaginable a year ago. Districts are facing the unprecedented task of providing quality education through distance-based learning. The majority of students in our district are socio-economically disadvantaged Latinx students and the data have shown that this population is more likely to be essential workers who don’t have the option to work from home, and are therefore more likely to be impacted by COVID-19. Monrovia Unified School District already struggles to engage these vulnerable student populations, and the pandemic exacerbates these issues.

“There is no better person to be on their local school board than a recent graduate of the school district itself.”

To prevent these students from falling into the academic achievement gap, our district needs a plan of engagement and action. Students will benefit from incorporating independent studies into their curriculum, especially during distance-based learning. Independent learning opportunities will prepare students for post-graduation endeavors, and allows educators to focus their efforts towards students who truly need additional one-on-one time. Our school district needs to double down on the social and emotional health of students through partnerships and active engagement during this time of crisis. We need to reach out to these communities, direct administrators and staff to work with these vulnerable student populations, and partner with community-based organizations and county agencies to provide additional services and resources. Students need to be reminded that they’re valued, and families need compassion and empathy during this time.

If elected, you’ll be the youngest board member by a few decades. Does that make you nervous? How do you hope to work with current members of the board?

Running for the school board is the perfect opportunity for any young individual to get involved. There is no better person to be on their local school board than a recent graduate of the school district itself. We have the unique ability to draw from our experience of being in the public schools and also to empathize and effectively advocate for our peers. My experience sets me apart from incumbents and new candidates alike. I’ve advocated for Monrovia students and families for nearly a decade.

At only 16 years old, I was chosen by the Gay Straight Alliance Network to represent the San Gabriel Valley and push for anti-bullying legislation at our state capitol drawing from my own experiences at Clifton Middle School. After establishing Healing Connections, I continued my advocacy for Monrovia students and families as an Education and Mental Health Policy Advocate in Sacramento. My experience working in education policy, and my understanding of how regulations, statutes, and budgets affect school districts, afford me a distinct advantage over other new candidates who may need to familiarize themselves. I’m excited to offer my expertise and perspectives on issues facing our district with current members of the board; all board members have the best intentions to create a remarkable educational experience for Monrovia students and families.

What is the best piece of advice you would give to another young Dem who is considering a run for office? 

My grandma has always told me, “Yo quiero, yo puedo, y lo voy hacer.” I want it, I can do it, and I will do it. She instilled the belief that if you’re passionate about your endeavors, then you must take things on with no regrets. It’s important to be confident in yourself but humble about the experience. As young candidates, we have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Reach out to your community, be empathetic, and actively listen to their concerns and suggestions.