Students are often judged by how quickly, loudly, or confidently they participate in class. But for students with stutters, speech differences, anxiety, disabilities, language barriers, or other communication needs, silence does not always mean disengagement. It may reflect fear, exclusion, or a system that has not yet created a safe pathway for their voice.

In this student-led session, Maxwell Tran shares his lived experience as a person who stutters to examine how schools can better recognize and support students whose voices are often overlooked. Moving beyond personal narrative, the session connects student voice to student services, special education, mental health, and inclusive leadership. Participants will explore how traditional participation structures can unintentionally privilege the loudest students while misreading quieter students as unprepared, uninterested, or less capable.

Through practical strategies and reflection, attendees will learn how to build more inclusive systems for participation: private student check-ins, written and anonymous response options, intentional wait time, flexible presentation formats, student voice surveys, and collaboration among teachers, counselors, SLPs, and administrators. The session aligns with Every Child Counts by challenging educators to rethink what it means for every child to be heard, valued, and supported.

The goal is not to make every student louder; it is to help schools become better listeners.