SCSD Board of Education Welcomes First-Ever Student Representatives
Here’s a quick civics lesson: the Syracuse City School District Board of Education is comprised of seven elected Board members.Beginning this year, two SCSD students are getting an up-close look at them!
A new State law now requires that each school district with at least one high school create at least one student Board member position. To represent student voice here in the SCSD, two students will serve in this role. Student Board members won’t hear confidential information or be included in Executive Session – but they’ll be seated at the table and participating in all other Board meetings and activities.
The new law aims to empower students by giving them a voice in the decisions that affect their education. It also has the intent of bringing about more open conversations, increased community engagement, and greater student-aligned goals.
Meet Our Student Board Representatives!
Nylah Frempong is about to enter her senior year at Henninger. After graduating, she plans to attend college, where she hopes to study either Communication Sciences and Disorders or Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences – with ambitions of becoming a Speech-Language Pathologist one day.Nylah hopes to bring the Board’s focus to diversity and inclusion issues.
“By promoting inclusivity and diversity, it will help welcome all with open arms, no matter their race, sex, gender, or identity,” she shared. “I am passionate about diversity and inclusion because everyone should be treated equally, no matter what. I aim to foster a strong sense of community and school spirit within the SCSD, so we can all be one big family. I’m so excited to be one of the first student Board members! Having a student representative on the school board is crucial because it ensures that the policies and decisions made directly reflect the needs and experiences of the student body. We have unique insights into the daily realities of school life, from classroom dynamics to extracurricular activities. By including a student voice, the Board can make more informed decisions that lead to positive changes and improvements for all students.”
Audrey Grimshaw will soon be entering her junior year at ITC, where she is enrolled in in the school’s Biotechnology Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. She has served on the student government at ITC for the past two years and plans to continue that run. Her priorities as a student Board member include school climate and transportation.
“I want to help make a positive change and be able to advocate for students,” Audrey explained. “It is also an amazing learning opportunity! I feel it is important for students to have representation on this level because it can sometimes be hard for students to reach out. I believe with a student’s insight on the Board, students will have their voices heard more often.”
As student Board members graduate, a new student will be selected to serve. The hope is that the junior member may decide to serve a second year – and in that capacity, can serve as a mentor in their senior year, helping the newest student representative acclimate to the role.
We look forward to seeing the positive impact these civic ready student leaders will have on our District!
