Hi everyone, my name is Isabella Flores, and I’m thrilled to be one of this year’s student legislative interns! I’m a senior at Olympia High School and earning an Associate of Arts and Communications degree through the Running Start program at South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC). At SPSCC, I work as a tutor in both the Math and English departments. After completing my associate degree, I plan to transfer to a 4-year university.
My time at SPSCC has been transformative. Working as a tutor has given me a unique way to connect with other students and immerse myself in the SPSCC community. Every day, I’ve seen the struggles and triumphs of students and it’s shown me just how important community and technical colleges are to providing accessible education to people from all backgrounds.
The support I’ve received at SPSCC is like nothing I’ve experienced. From the encouragement of professors to the friendships I’ve built with peers, I’ve learned so much about resilience, collaboration, and the value of education. Community colleges like SPSCC play such an important role in giving students opportunities to succeed, no matter where they’re starting from. Being part of this community has made me incredibly passionate about advocating for community and technical colleges statewide.
This internship has already been such an incredible experience even in just the first week of session. But … wow ... has it been one busy week. One of the most exciting opportunities in this internship so far has been testifying on SB 5164, a bill focused on providing navigational support to help students access higher education and increase enrollment. This issue is so personal to me because I’ve experienced firsthand the value of having strong support systems at both SPSCC and Olympia High School. Testifying gave me a chance to share my perspective and advocate for policies that can make a real difference for students across the state.
I’m so grateful for the amazing people I’ve met through this internship. Sam Herriot has been such a helpful and encouraging mentor, guiding me through the legislative process and answering all my questions. This week, Troy Goracke’s, a policy associate in Basic Education for Adults, expertise and willingness to share his knowledge has been incredibly inspiring. Everyone’s dedication to improving education is a constant reminder of why this work matters so much.
As I continue this journey, I’m eager to keep learning about the legislative process, advocating for students, and using my voice to support the incredible work community and technical colleges do. This experience has already been so rewarding, and I’m excited to see what the rest of this session holds!
