Virginia Delegate David Reid presented Saniya Yamin, a senior at Broad Run High School, with a ceremonial framed copy of House Bill 410 signed by Governor Spanberger on May 14. Yamin received this recognition after collaborating with Reid’s office to help create and pass HB 410, which requires local school boards to participate in the SAT School Day program. This program allows high school juniors and seniors to take the SAT during regular school hours.
Yamin identified challenges faced by students who could not easily access the SAT without it being offered during school hours. She observed that many classmates had to balance jobs, extracurricular activities, family responsibilities, transportation issues, and testing costs while preparing for an exam important for college admissions. Yamin reached out to Reid’s office with her concerns and worked alongside them throughout the legislative process. The bill ultimately passed through the General Assembly without amendments.
During the presentation ceremony, Reid said, “I always love to hear legislative ideas from students, families and teachers, because they are living with these issues.”
Yamin spoke about her experience: “Being involved in the legislative process was incredibly meaningful to me because it reinforced something I have believed for years, which is that young people are capable of creating real change when they speak up about issues that directly affect them,” she said. “I think a lot of students feel disconnected from the government or assume their voices will not matter in those spaces, but this experience showed me the opposite. Having the opportunity to speak directly with legislators about an issue affecting students and then watching the bill successfully move through the General Assembly made the impact of advocacy feel very real.”
Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools; April Chandler, Chair of Loudoun County School Board; School Board member Ross Svenson; and Yamin’s parents attended Thursday’s event. According to information provided at the ceremony, Yamin plans to study Government at Harvard University in the fall.
