SY2017-2018 Student Representatives

Congratulations to Tallya Rhodes from H.D. Woodson High School (Ward 7) and Tatiana Robinson from Ballou High School (Ward 8) who are currently serving as State Board Student Representatives for 2017-2018.

Tallya Rhodes is a senior at H.D. Woodson High School (Ward 7) and is a resident of Ward 5. A member of the Youth Advisory Council and a delegate for the DC STEM Program, Ms. Rhodes is committed helping the voices of all students be heard.

 

Tatiana Robinson is a junior at Ballou High School (Ward 8) and is a resident of Ward 7. Ms. Robinson serves as Vice President of the Ballou Book Club and is a member of the Principal's Honor Roll. She looks forward to being a voice for students, knowing that the power of an education can be life-altering.

Student Representatives serve for one school year from September to June. They participate in all SBOE activities and are considered as full members of the State Board. Their votes are recorded, but cannot affect the outcome of any policy measure.  Student Representatives are expected to attend all official SBOE meetings. Meetings of the State Board occur in the evening twice monthly on the first and third Wednesday of each month. In addition, Student Representatives co-chair the Student Advisory Committee and are responsible for setting the agenda for the Committee. 

Student Advisory Committee for SY2017-2018

The Student Advisory Committee serves as the voice of students in the State Board’s work and is consulted on all issues of policy before the Board. The Student Advisory Committee conducts its meetings approximately once per month. The Committee produces a report each year which is presented to the State Board on an matter of importance to District students and provides recommendations on action. 

Name	School
Tallya Rhodes, Student Representative	H.D. Woodson HS
Tatiana Robinson, Student Representative	Ballou HS
Aaliyah Dick	Woodrow Wilson HS
Agustin Pereira Martinez	School Without Walls HS
Aniyah Fields	Thurgood Marshall Academy
Ayia Evans	Benjamin Banneker HS
Chandler Nutall	School Without Walls
Charlotte Mestrich	School Without Walls
Daniel Osmin Rodriguez	Benjamin Banneker HS
Davine Holsey	H.D. Woodson HS
De Jesus Ray Vincent Lagman	Benjamin Banneker HS
Diana Shea	BASIS DC
Dwight Harris	Ballou HS
Emilia Majersik	Woodrow Wilson HS
Emma K Quigg	BASIS DC
Hannah Dunn	Woodrow Wilson HS
Jamiah Hall	Roosevelt HS
Janae Chambers	Friendship Collegiate Academy
Jasmin Woodruff	Benjamin Banneker HS
Jerome Foster II	Washington Leadership Academy
John Carlos Garcia	Capital City Public Charter School
Marcia Bailey	Cesar Chavez PCS- Parkside
Menkhu-ta Whaley	Thurgood Marshall Academy
Natalie Seablom	Woodrow Wilson HS
Nathaniel Hutton	The Lab School
Zachary Crouch	Benjamin Banneker HS

ALL members must be District of Columbia resident and either a sophomore, junior or senior in either a traditional public or public charter high school.

Hear First-Hand Experience From Former Representatives:

Alex Dorosin, 2017 Woodrow Wilson High School Graduate, SY2016-20167 SBOE Student Representative 

"Working on behalf of a diverse student body is a privilege. As both the Co-Chair of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC) and a Student Representative to the D.C. State Board of Education, I have become a strong advocate for students from my school and community. In these roles, I have had the opportunity to channel my passion by working to improve the experiences of my peers in the DC school system. From meeting with the new DCPS Chancellor to discussing educational policy with administrators, I have felt the impact of my words in the District. My SAC meetings have taught me to compromise with fellow committee members from around the city to achieve common goals. As Student Representative, I am speaking not only with my voice, but also with the voices of my peers: the students who have supported me in my work, and who want to see our city shine."

Brian Contreras, 2016 School Without Walls Graduate, SY2014-2016 SBOE Student Representative 

"Students rarely get the opportunity to be involved in the political systems that control their lives every day, but over the past two years, I’ve been one of the few who had the chance to take up just such a role. As one of two Student Representatives on the DC State Board of Education, I met with city leaders nearly every week to discuss the policy issues that limit the ability of the DC student community to get the most out of their education. The ability to be directly engaged in issues as diverse as health standards, teacher accountability, and the achievement gap provided an opportunity made available to an unfortunately small number of young people in our community. In fact, I created the new Student Advisory Committee as a means of increasing the involvement of students in student-centric policy creation; I hope this group will grow in the years to come. My time on the Board was not only interesting and allowed me to grow personally, but also (I would hope) created some small change in the DC education system that will help my peers in the same way." 

Destinee Whittington, 2016 Richard Wright Public Charter School Graduate, SY2015-2016 SBOE Student Representative 

"I have really grown being around some of the DC's most important leaders in education. As Student Representative, my confidence has grown so much! I have made lifetime connections with this wonderful opportunity. Being a student representative has been a life-changing experience."