Students from across Dutchess County learned about civic engagement, leadership development, and building self-confidence at a recent statewide event for Ex Officio Student Board members.
The New York State Welcome to Student School Board Members Event, held on Sept. 30, gathered ex officio student board members in person and virtually at BOCES throughout the state.
Education Commissioner Betty Rosa, state Sen. Shelley Mayer, Regents Board Member Adrian Hale, and New York State School Boards Association General Counsel Jay Worona spoke to students and encouraged them to act as change agents and student leaders.
Rosa emphasized that education policies and programs should be designed with students, rather than imposed on them. She encouraged the ex officio student board members to act as “agents of change,” use their voices for community changes, and speak up about state education initiatives.
Rosa added that school boards value student input and advocacy work for key issues, “Because you’ve been part of it, you’ll be responsible and responsive,” she said.
Mia Fountain, a student from the Dutchess BOCES Resilience Academy, said she feels the meeting was informative.
“Overall, I think it went well; everything was well explained,” she said. “I was nervous to take on this role, but this made me more comfortable.”
Rosa said students should make sure they do preparation work for meetings, and “make sure you’ve created a roadmap to articulate your opinions.” When student board members hold opposing views, they should listen attentively to the other side, use negotiation skills, find common ground, and stay true to their core values.
Hale called on students to “recreate this thing we call ‘school’” and said the Regents board is rolling out “ambitious” improvements, with student priorities and goals in mind.
“We want to create multiple pathways for members to find (their) voice,” he said, “and become the most capable leader the world demands you to be.”
Speakers at the event highlighted how participating on a school board teaches students how local government works and helps them build leadership skills that could translate to public office one day.
Former student board members on the panel included Luke Lippit, former National Student Board Member Association Representative from Buffalo and current student at NYU, and Jahynce Sotomayor, formerly a student board member from the Schenectady City School District.
They recommended that current student board members gather diverse perspectives across school clubs and peer groups, and urged students to prioritize building relationships with their fellow board members.
During a question-and-answer session toward the end of the event, speakers addressed attendee questions about how often students should participate in meetings. They said students are not expected to speak on every topic, and noted that adult board members are not experts on every issue either.
Worona sent the students off stressing the importance of their input and participation in the board.
“It’s not just checking a box that we got students involved,” he said. “Make your voice heard! We wish you the best of luck!”
Kendall McGinley, a Career and Technical Institute student, said she felt excited about the year ahead as a student member of the board.
“I was nervous for my role this year, but I feel like this is preparing me for the future,” she said.
