When in the business of educating children, allowing for student
input is vital.
That’s why two of the county’s school districts have a student
who serves on the Board of Trustees. While the experience can be
intimidating and overwhelming for students, their presence and
input is an important key to know what’s going on with
students.
When in the business of educating children, allowing for student input is vital.
That’s why two of the county’s school districts have a student who serves on the Board of Trustees. While the experience can be intimidating and overwhelming for students, their presence and input is an important key to know what’s going on with students.
Serving on the board allows the students to learn about what’s happening at the school with teachers and administrators.
Senior Matt Wilkinson serves on the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District Board and junior Mary Von Urff is the student trustee on the San Benito High School District Board.
Von Urff wanted to be involved with SBHS somehow this school year. After being unsuccessful in student elections, she applied for the student trustee position. She’s been attending meetings since the spring.
“I like how I go to the meetings and find out about what’s going on,” Von Urff said. “I get more insight about what’s going on and help the administration see the students and what we achieve.”
The relationship is beneficial for the trustees as well, she said.
“They also need to know what I have to say. It’s two different worlds,” she said. “The students are doing their own thing, the administrators are doing their own thing. It’s better to get together and cooperate.”
Superintendent Jean Burns Slater said Von Urff’s involvement on campus adds to her value as a trustee.
“She’s very actively involved in activities. She’s well grounded in a multitude of activities,” Slater said.
Slater has been impressed with Von Urff’s student reports, but is going to make an effort to hear more student input about certain issues and ask Von Urff more questions.
Two issues Von Urff said are affecting the school are the campus expansion and closing of Nash Road.
One thing Von Urff wants to work on is asking questions of the administrators during the meetings like the other trustees do. She said she should be asking questions, but she’s just in awe sometimes.
A good student representative to a board of trustees is competent, confident, respects authority and, most importantly, is interested.
“If you’re involved (in school activities), you’re more of a genuine representative. If you’re not involved, you’re just as much of an outsider as (adults) are,” Von Urff said.
Wilkinson wanted to be a trustee because he wanted to do more than “just complain.”
“I always complain about things. I thought that if I got on the Board I could voice my opinion,” he said.
Wanting to make a difference is a big part of being the student trustee.
“You have to want to help out the community and make it better for other kids who come through Anzar and Aromas and San Juan schools,” Wilkinson said.
At Anzar High School, teachers nominate students and then the senior class votes on the candidates.
Wilkinson was seated Nov. 5 and hit the ground running. He was introduced and then gave his student report a few minutes later. By the end of the three-hour meeting, Wilkinson was voting.
“It was kind of intimidating,” he said about his first meeting. “When they asked me for my decision, if I didn’t know much about the topic, I just abstained.”
Before each meeting, Wilkinson sits down with Superintendent Jackie Munoz to go over the Board agenda, which he said helps him understand everything.
“He was definitely prepared (for his first meeting),” Munoz said. “He’s going to do a fine job. He seems very conscientious. He has to be a quick student and the learning curve is high.”
Issues Wilkinson sees as important to students at Anzar include improving food quality and getting more activities for students to do during the day.
He also wants students to know he’s their representative and that they can come to him if they want their opinions voiced. It’s important to him to represent all students’ interests, not just his own.
“Whenever I’m up there, I have to think, ‘What does the whole school think? How will this benefit other students?'” he said.
