Frania Lopez is using her quiet confidence to make a difference for Long Beach students
When Frania Lopez realized she would have to interview in person to be Long Beach Unified School District’s first-ever student board member, her anxiety almost stopped her from applying.
Lopez, a senior at Jordan High School, now provides valuable insights twice a month at board meetings and impacts public district policy.
Lopez doesn’t like when people tell her she needs to get out of her shell. The way she sees it, her shell is a part of her, but that doesn’t mean it should limit her. She began her term on March 2 after being chosen out of a group of 20 other applicants, and will sit on the board until June when she graduates from high school.
“I’m going to have the shortest term [of the board members] so I’m going to try to take as much advantage of this opportunity as I can,” Lopez said.
She joined the Long Beach school district five years ago after facing many struggles at her schools in Los Angeles which impacted her mental health. Lopez decided to apply for the position to help other students who may be struggling with becoming comfortable in their own shells.
“We [now] have that student voice and so we’re constantly reminded of why we do the work that we do.”
LBUSD board President Diana Craighead.
LBUSD passed a policy in September 2022 to create a more permanent bureaucratic role for students by appointing a seated student board member. The district has historically invited students to board meetings to update them on the activities and accomplishments of their respective schools.
The student would typically stay only for the first portion of the meeting and then be free to leave. Lopez’s role is much more involved, as she attends the entirety of the meeting and can cast a “preferential vote” to share her thoughts on an item, although it does not count towards the official vote by the board.
During her time as a board member, Lopez has spoken out about the importance of mental health, the impact of art enrichment opportunities and the influence counselors can have on students.
Board President Diana Craighead said Lopez’s presence at board meetings has been pivotal in grounding the work of the board.
“We [now] have that student voice and so we’re constantly reminded of why we do the work that we do,” Craighead said.
Lopez said Long Beach was the first school district where she felt heard by her teachers and peers.
While she was still in the Los Angeles Unified School District in the fifth grade, Lopez said she experienced physical and verbal bullying from her peers, and later experienced bullying from a teacher and felt isolated by her principal.
These experiences caused her to develop depression and social anxiety, making it difficult to keep up with her academics. Lopez described it as one of the lowest points of her life.
“It made me feel like I was not important, like they didn’t care about me,” Lopez said.
After she transferred to LBUSD, she slowly began improving her grades thanks to the support of her teachers, and began making friends. Once she felt comfortable in her surroundings, Lopez started taking on leadership positions and flourished there as well.
“I like helping people like myself because I know that I’m not the only one experiencing what I did,” Lopez said.
Lopez is involved in multiple leadership positions at Jordan High School. She is currently serving her second year as an ambassador for the Jordan Media and Communication (JMAC) pathway—a media arts pathway that teaches students different multimedia skills like photography and film.
Lopez also represents her school in the Schoolsite Council—a group of teachers, students, parents and administrators that overlook how schools spend federal funds.
Lopez said her drive and passion to be in leadership positions originally stemmed from her anxiety.
“Honestly, from being more involved I feel like my social anxiety finally got ‘attacked’ and [I’m] just nervous instead of anxious. I feel more confident with myself,” Lopez said.
Jordan High School Pathway Coordinator, Valerie Gonzalez, has been privy to this growth. Gonzales overlooks the four different linked learning pathways that Jordan High School offers.
Each LBUSD high school offers different pathways linked to a certain industry within California.
Gonzalez has been working with Lopez over the past two years.
“From last year alone, she’s been able to grow into a strong representation of a Latina female in education and she’s sharing her thoughts, her concerns, but also is that ear for others,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez described Lopez as smart, driven and kind-hearted. She said Lopez has helped represent her pathway at different school-wide events, such as school site night and choice night, by presenting the opportunities JMAC offers.
After high school, Lopez plans to attend Long Beach City College and major in business administration; she said she wants to stay local as she’s grown to love Long Beach.
“I’m really anxious to see what path she takes and where she ends up, because I know whatever she chooses to do, she’s going to make a difference,” Craighead said.
