In addition to our five elected School Board members, we have two high school student representatives. These students serve for one year on the School Board engaging in discussions and providing valuable insight to our board.
Our student representatives for the 2022-23 school year were seniors Mirage DeNeal and Kurtis Kettman. We asked them about their experience on the School Board.
Why did you choose to be on the School Board?
Kurtis: I initially chose to be on the School Board out of the faintest hope that I, as a student, could be a part of something real and create lasting change.
Why do you think it is important to have a student representative on the School Board?
Mirage: I think it is important to have a student representative on the School Board because no one knows the students better than the students themselves. I think it is very important for the other members to get students’ perspective when making decisions that affect us.
What did you enjoy about being on the School Board?
Kurtis: Being on the School Board allowed me to be a part of and witness the actual decision making that runs our district, as well as question and challenge the ideas of not only the board, but myself.
Mirage: I enjoy the passion and consideration that I get to see firsthand. I see how the other members take time to really go through every part of a procedure, ask Kurtis and I our opinions and take our feelings and perspectives into account. It is really nice to be able to see that we have genuine and kindhearted people that want to improve our district.
What is something you learned from your experience on the board?
Kurtis: I learned that the powers to create change are widely available, but the willingness to get out of one’s comfort zone and use them is far more rare. We have a great School Board and a great superintendent and a great district, but we also have great need. Don’t settle in singular comfort; fight for shared progress.
What advice do you have for students who may want to serve?
Mirage: If anyone is considering it, you should definitely go for it. It has been so much fun to get to know everyone, be able to give our perspective on everything and hear the other members’ perspectives.