A Better Guidance System for High School Students, by Highs School Students

Many high school students know the feeling of waiting weeks to speak with a guidance counsellor, trying to make important decisions with limited support, or wondering if they're making the "right" choice for their future.

Polina experienced those same frustrations, but instead of simply accepting them, she and her team decided to build a solution.

In this episode of GenNext, Ms. Cam talks with Polina, a high school student, writer, and co-founder of GUIDER, a student-led platform designed to make academic planning, career exploration, scholarships, and local student resources more accessible. This project has evolved into a growing community initiative built by students, for students.

But this conversation isn't just about AI or technology.

It's about recognizing problems, having the courage to start before you feel ready, and discovering that some of the best people to solve student problems are students themselves.

The Team shares:

• How GUIDER grew from a classroom idea into a community-driven platform
• The surprising mindset shift that helped Polina move from noticing a problem to solving one
• How feedback helped shape the platform
• Why leadership is really about listening, problem-solving, and bringing people together
• How arts, technology, and entrepreneurship can work together to create meaningful impact
• Why young people shouldn't wait for adults to solve every problem they experience
• What the future of student guidance could look like when it's built with students instead of just for them

🚀 Try This Challenge:

This week's challenge from Polina is beautifully simple.

Find someone outside your usual circle (someone who isn't already your close friend or family member) and tell them about a problem you're trying to solve or something that's been frustrating you.

• Don't pitch it.
• Don't try to convince them.
• Just say it out loud.
• Listen to how they react. Ask questions. Their perspective might help you see your idea differently, spark a new solution, or even introduce you to someone who can help.
• As Polina shares in this episode, every major step in building GUIDER started when she stopped keeping the idea to herself and began talking about it with other people.

Links

Guider: guiderai.ca

Polina Saltevsky: https://www.linkedin.com/in/polina-saltevsky-97428835b/

Waterloo Tech Week: https://waterlootechweek.ca/

Youth Tech Labs: https://www.linkedin.com/company/youth-tech-labs/posts/?feedView=all

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GenNextPodcast

Instagram: @thegennextpodcast 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gennext-podcast