Hollister
– College-bound graduate Stefany James has spent her last four
years at San Benito High School immersed in nearly every club and
activity the school had to offer, but perhaps her most important
contribution to the ‘Balers has been helping to shape district
policy as the students liaison to the Boa
rd of Trustees.
Hollister – College-bound graduate Stefany James has spent her last four years at San Benito High School immersed in nearly every club and activity the school had to offer, but perhaps her most important contribution to the ‘Balers has been helping to shape district policy as the students liaison to the Board of Trustees.
Although James, 18, is headed off to Mills College in Oakland next fall, she said she will never forget San Benito High School.
“It’s been a great ride. Looking back at freshmen year, I had no idea,” James said. “High school exceeded all my expectations.”
James served on the Associated Student Body for four years and still found time to participate in everything from the French Club and Drama Club to the Prom Committee and Choir Club. She also served as news editor for the high school’s student-run newspaper, “The Baler,” acted in three plays, and traveled to France and Spain on school-sponsored field trips.
“My entire life was on the school planner,” James said. “I lived at San Benito High School.”
Most days, she would arrive at school an hour before her peers to work in the ASB office, then head off for a morning full of classes before a lunch meeting with one or another of the dozen clubs she was involved in. After school, she usually had an ASB meeting, Board of Trustees meeting or another school activity.
During the first few weeks of her freshman year, James said, she didn’t know what to make of high school. But everything changed after she was recruited to imitate Scary Spice during an ASB-sponsored lip sync contest.
“It just snowballed after that because I got involved in student government,” she said.
It was around that time that James was first drawn to the bright lights of Andy Hardin Field.
“Before I knew it, ‘Baler football was a big thing,” James said. “I’ll miss the boys in red. Football games show the Hollister community at its best.”
Some of James’ most important and most difficult decisions were made during school board meetings. During her senior year, James served as the students liaison to the district’s Board of Trustees. Although unable to vote, she gave her input on controversial issues that helped shape district policy. James sat in on nearly every board meeting and almost always had something to say, she said, but representing 3,000 of her peers wasn’t always easy.
“My No. 1 priority was to do what was best for all students,” James explained. “I really had to look outside myself. I had to think about the students who hadn’t passed the exit exam, the students who had failed classes.”
Trustees often looked to James during discussions of everything from exit exams to drug-sniffing dogs.
“She’s an impressive young lady. I think that she has been a valuable addition to our meetings,” said Trustee Bill Tiffany. “Her input was insightful, and she did a good job representing the students. In my opinion, she has helped the board make some important decisions.”
San Benito High School Superintendent Jean Burns Slater agreed.
“She’s an exceptional woman,” Slater said. “She’ll be missed tremendously.”
During the last few months as the students liaison, James began an aggressive campaign to add more weight to her input during board meetings. After a nearly hour-long debate, James convinced the Board of Trustees to adopt a new policy that would allow the students advisory vote to be recorded in official board meeting minutes. Before the new policy, the students advisory vote was considered but never recorded.
“That vote will be there for generations to come,” James said.
Although no longer a student, James and her legacy as the students liaison will continue at San Benito High School for years to come.
Brett Rowland covers public safesty for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or
br******@fr***********.com
.
