Donated by: Adriana Rodas

Robertzsa Joseph (left) and Adriana Rodas (right) sit in the center holding a board of notes. Each of the sticky notes demand changes from the school board and are written directly by Florida Youth Voter Alliance members. This is for the “Letter Writing Party” the group held.

Senior Robertzsa Joseph still remembers the first time she noticed the brightly colored campaign posters crowding the library next to her high school. The flyers had been there since her freshman year, plastered with faces and names of local candidates she’d never heard of.

Each morning she’d walk past them, wondering who these people were and why their elections mattered to students like her. She assumed it was normal to be uninformed; after all, she was only fourteen.

The harsh realization soon struck her that her classmates, even those old enough to register to vote, were equally unaware as she was.
That moment became the start of the Florida Youth Voter Alliance, the organization she co-founded with her best friend, senior Adriana Rodas.

Together, the two high schoolers built a platform to educate their peers about local elections and civic participation. “It’s not that students don’t care,” Joseph says.

“It’s that no one gives them information in a way that’s digestible and actually aimed at them.”

The two first connected in debate class. They’d known each other since elementary school, but had never spoken much until freshman year when they found themselves sitting in the same room.

Debate drew them closer, and by sophomore year, Joseph felt comfortable approaching Rodas with her idea. According to Rodas, she too had been puzzled by the lack of youth-focused election information and believed students deserved better.

Their first step was simple: create an Instagram account. They asked their friend, senior Haley Bauer to design a logo and began posting small pieces of nonpartisan information about how to read ballots, where to vote, and how to register.

That same day, Joseph happened to see an ad on her Instagram feed, promoting the Youth Action Fund: a program offering campaign advisors and stipends for student-led initiatives. She applied, thinking it was worth a try. Within weeks, they were matched with an experienced mentor who helped them refine their goals and structure their outreach.

Under the mentor’s guidance, the Florida Youth Voter Alliance became more than an Instagram page. They began producing voter guides and pamphlets designed for high school audiences. “We wanted our materials to feel approachable front and back, short phrases, everything a teenager actually wants to read.” Rodas explains.

They also hosted in-person events. One of their proudest moments was a letter-writing party, where more than two dozen students drafted notes to the local school board about policies affecting their education.

“Seeing it come to life after postponing and reworking the plan was incredible,” Rodas says. “We learned to be patient, adaptable, and to keep pushing even when things don’t go as planned.”

Adaptability has become their staple; The two had planned a youth forum with the district school board and in both of the times they attempted to make it work, the idea fell through. This setback did not leave a dent in their determination, as they continue to work hard.

“It’s not about us winning,” Joseph says. “It’s about educating high schoolers. If one door closes, we’ll create something else.”

Part of their success comes from their dynamic as cofounders. They don’t split tasks rigidly but work directly together, back and forth.

According to Rodas, the two edit each other’s materials by dividing and conquering, their consistent communication making their collaboration seem effortless.

With rigorous courses, the seniors understand when the other needs assistance. “It’s never perfectly 50/50,” Rodas says. “Sometimes she covers for me, sometimes I cover for her. Trust and communication are everything.”

Both young women balance their activism with leadership roles elsewhere. They’ve served as educators with Planned Parenthood and counselors in educational equity programs. Joseph chairs her city’s Youth Advisory Board, to assist in programs for local students.

They say those experiences have sharpened their organizing skills and deepened their understanding of how institutions work.
Despite the challenges, their commitment hasn’t wavered. Both plan to study law in college, though they’re still exploring which part of law to specialize in.

Regardless of career, they both insist they’ll continue advocating for youth civic engagement well into adulthood. As for what motivates their peers, they’ve learned it’s about making voting feel relevant and doable.

“Once students see how decisions at the city or county level directly affect their schools, transportation, or housing, it clicks,” Joseph says. “They realize their voice can shape the community they live in.”

Whether at lunch, in the library, or during leisure, the two friends continue to stay focused on expanding their team, hosting more events, and continuing to give the youth a voice in the voting.

Rodas says, “If you put effort into something, something will come out of it. Maybe not the way you expected, but it will.”