Dahlia Beraznik, a high school student from California who has been living in Barcelona for the past 8 years, was inspired to take on this project after noticing that many young students around her had strong ideas but lacked the confidence and support needed to express them. When she first moved to Spain, she noticed how students often stayed quiet. Not because they had nothing to say, but because they had never been given the tools to speak up. Having built her own confidence through speech and debate, Model United Nations, theatre, and other public speaking experiences, she understood firsthand how transformative these opportunities can be, especially for young leaders still defining who they want to become. Recognizing the gap in support available for younger students, she founded Louder With Words as a way to empower these students to develop their voices, build confidence, and understand that what they say truly matters.
“I didn’t want to watch another group of students sit in silence simply because no one taught them how to speak up. I want young students to know that what they say isn’t just heard, it’s valued.” – Dahlia Beraznik (Founder and Executive Director)
In early September, when Dahlia launched Louder with Words, she faced both excitement and logistical challenges. Presenting each part of her plan to school administration and securing approval for every step made the entire process highly bureaucratic, delaying the launch more than she had initially hoped.Yet the enthusiasm of parents and elementary students, eager for a fun and supportive space to explore public speaking, kept her motivated and determined to move forward. She recruited a four-person executive board of passionate, dedicated students who have brought energy, ideas, and commitment to every aspect of the project. High school public speaking coaches are currently being recruited and trained to prepare for the afterschool program’s launch in January.
One of the biggest challenges so far has been designing the curriculum for the workshops. Every game, activity, and exercise is being crafted from scratch to help students build confidence, develop their voice, and prepare for the TED talk style speech on a global issue of personal importance that they will present at the end of the program.Each element is intentional, progressive, and engaging. The team has also devoted time to planning presentations for parents and students, creating strategies to attract participants, and generating excitement throughout the school community. Despite all the challenges Dahlia and her team have faced, the energy, dedication, and enthusiasm of everyone involved has laid a strong foundation for the program’s success.
“Writing the curriculum has been a difficult task. We need to make sure that every activity is meaningful, engaging, and empowering, and that the methods used to teach these advanced public speaking skills will be understood and well received by young students” — Aleka Simon (Director of Curriculum and Learning)
Because the afterschool program is set to launch in January, the project has not yet produced measurable results, however, the team has developed a detailed plan to track impact and gather feedback. This is an element of the Louder with Words Program that they view as essential to its long term success. Feedback is central to growth, as just like we learn at Alzar, it allows for things to become stronger, more effective, and more meaningful, which is why it will play a pivotal role throughout this initiative. The team will collect feedback from both parents and students, in forms appropriate to their age group, to capture observations on confidence, communication skills, and overall satisfaction with the program. High school instructors will also participate in structured reflection sessions, sharing insights on workshop structure, student engagement, and teaching approaches. This information will guide curriculum adjustments, refine the program’s pacing and organization, and spark movement in the project’s broader management decisions.
By carefully analyzing both qualitative reflections and quantitative data, such as participation numbers, the team will continuously improve the program and ensure it moves closer to achieving its mission. Ultimately, this feedback-driven approach is designed to maximize the program’s impact on students, their families, and the wider community, creating lasting change and empowering young voices to be heard. The team has been hard at work preparing for the launch of the after school program, meeting every week for an hour and constantly working on tasks that bring the team closer to their goals. They are confident that it will all pay off with the impact created.
“Even though we haven’t launched the after school program yet, I can already see the impact forming with every meeting, every idea, and every hour we’ve put in is building something powerful for these students.” – Paula Vilardell (Director of Outreach and Partnerships)
As the afterschool program prepares to launch in January, Dahlia is planning to hold the workshops for two separate cohorts of students, with about 10-12 students in each, this school year, with plans to continue more cohorts the next year. After graduating from her high school in 2 years, she plans on passing Louder With Words to another dedicated student while continuing to support the program during her gap year and throughout university. Her future goals include studying environmental studies and education, and she intends to carry her leadership skills into every area of life, from more service projects to her academic pursuits. Louder With Words is far from being finished, as it is a central part of her life mission, and she plans to continue evolving it and increasing its impact. The Louder with Words team is also working on bringing workshops to other communities, such as Dukwi refugee camp in Botswana, that their school has close ties to, and partnering with other schools in Barcelona to host one-off workshops and events. Through these initiatives, she hopes to build confidence in young students, develop their public speaking and leadership skills, and inspire a long term interest in communication based programs. By creating a scalable, adaptable service program model, Dahlia aims to encourage global impact and create meaningful solutions to this issue in Barcelona and beyond.
“Louder With Words isn’t something I finish. It’s mission is part of my purpose and passion, and I want to keep growing it, sharing it, and passing it on so that more students can find their voice.” – Dahlia Beraznik (Founder and Executive Director)