There are nine members on the DC State Board of Education who are directly elected by voters within the District. Board members’ terms are four years and are staggered so no more than five board members are selected in any one election. To learn about our committee assignments, please visit the Committee Assignments page.

 

 

 

SY2021–2022 Student Representatives

   

(From left to right: Ean Bowie, Skye-Ali Johnson, Juliana Lopez, and Alex O'Sullivan)

Ean Bowie is junior at Ron Brown College Prep High School. He is currently serving on the Ward 7 Community Advisory Council as a student volunteer. Over the last 2 years, he has served as class Vice President and President on the Student Government Association. Ean spends time networking with industry professionals, learning about real estate development, and learning about ways to help improve his community and school. In his free time, Ean likes working on his videography and photography skills.
 
Skye-Ali Johnson is a senior and student-leadership ambassador at Richard Wright Public Charter School for Journalism and Media Arts in Washington, DC. She has been lead anchor in the school NewsCast, producing weekly segments since 2018. Skye-Ali has completed multiple investigative writing projects and has been published in The Urban Health Media Project and Medshadow. Skye-Ali has also co-hosted Raise DC and StriveTogether events, advocating on the behalf of youth for more affordable access to creative programs. She is active in other community work, such as a Design Apprenticeship Program with the National Building Museum; teaming up with ABC7 news to host a virtual Martin Luther King Day celebration; and she has reported on food desertification and contrast of the uneven distribution of full-service grocery stores in the low-income wards (Ward 7 and Ward 8) of the District of Columbia. Skye-Ali is a native Washingtonian and a passionate advocate for the people who reside in the lower income wards of Washington DC. She will be continuing to research and identify resources to assist members in her community and aspires to make an impact in multimedia journalism.

Juliana Lopez is a junior at Columbia Heights Educational Campus. She is a Principal's Honor Roll student as well as a part of The Young Women's Project: Youth Justice Campaign. Juliana plans on earning a Child Development Associate Credential, becoming an elementary school teacher, and studying public administration.  

Alex O’Sullivan is a senior at BASIS DC High School, returning to the D.C. State Board of Education for his third term as a Student Representative. He also serves as Youth Mayor of YMCA DC Youth and Government, and he co-founded his school’s peer tutoring program. Alex is planning to serve as a teacher assistant in middle school drama this upcoming year, and he is an avid fan of the Washington Football Team, who he promises will win the NFC Championship this coming season.

For the length of their term, the Student Representatives will join the nine elected State Board members in policy discussions and community engagement efforts. With their direct experience in the classroom, student representatives provide a unique voice during policy discussions and offer a vital perspective. As Student Representatives, Bowie, Johnson, Lopez, and O’Sullivan will also co-chair the 2021–22 Student Advisory Committee (SAC), a group of students from District high schools who serve as the voice of students in the State Board’s work.