Each year, social work students from across Idaho gather at the State Capitol for one shared purpose: to learn how to turn their passion into action. The Legislative Education and Advocacy Day, known as LEAD, continues to grow as a powerful, student-driven experience rooted in collaboration, education and advocacy.
The event is a collective effort led by faculty, students and alumni from across Boise State University and beyond, including Sheila Weaver (‘14 BSW, ‘18 MSW, ‘25 MPA), project manager for the Idaho Caregiver Alliance in Boise State’s School of Public and Population Health and adjunct faculty for the School of Social Work, and Annie Estvold, adjunct faculty for the School of Social Work. They are joined by Kristi Spalding, a Master of Social Work student, Savannah Smith, a junior in the Bachelor of Social Work program, Ashley Townend (‘24 BSW, ‘25 MSW), and Lorraine Draper, a senior in the Bachelor of Social Work program. Together, they work to create a space where future social workers can engage directly with the legislative process.
For Smith, LEAD offered both practical experience and a deeper understanding of advocacy.
“Participating in LEAD for the first time this year taught me a lot about the legislative process, but the most valuable lesson that I took away was in order to create positive change and shift people’s perspectives you first need to understand their values and motivations,” Smith said.
Students participating in LEAD are not only learning about policy, they are actively engaging in it. Through organized meetings and guided support, they are given the opportunity to connect with legislators and advocate for issues impacting their communities.
Smith, who served on the LEAD board, helped facilitate those connections.
“It was very rewarding to help people engage in advocacy and get over the initial intimidation of meeting with a legislator,” Smith said.
That sense of empowerment is central to LEAD’s mission. By creating an accessible entry point into advocacy, the event helps students build confidence and recognize their role in shaping policy.
According to Weaver, who is a long-time supporter of LEAD, the event has had a lasting impact on students across the state.
“Over the years, LEAD has brought together thousands of students from every social work program across Idaho to connect, learn how to engage with their legislators, and step into the vital role of advocacy in our profession,” Weaver said. “It’s an honor to watch future social workers show up with passion and purpose, and to see them take meaningful action on the issues they care about.”
The energy of the event is something participants often describe as transformative. With hundreds of students gathered in one space, the atmosphere reflects both urgency and hope.
“There’s an almost electric energy in the air when hundreds of passionate, motivated students fill a packed room at the Idaho State Capitol, ready to stand up for their communities,” Weaver said. “It truly is the best day of the year.”
Beyond the day itself, LEAD continues to shape how students view their future roles as social workers. It reinforces the importance of advocacy as a core part of the profession and encourages students to stay engaged long after the event ends.
“LEAD is an incredibly powerful event because it allows students from all over the state to connect with each other and learn from strong advocates in the community,” Smith said. “You can feel everyone around becoming more empowered and driven to participate in the legislative process.”
Through collaboration, mentorship and shared purpose, LEAD is not just an event. It is a catalyst for the next generation of social workers committed to creating meaningful change.