Capitol News

The Lansing School District Board of Education recently welcomed student sponsors to introduce officers from the district’s junior board of education.

Carrie Christian and Claudia Cabrera Rodriguez, the sponsors, shared what the board and the students meant to them and explained their role.

“So, (the) junior board is a long-standing tradition here in Lansing,” said Christian. “It's been going on for 20 years as a student organization.”

Student officers delivered the presentation to the board, which aligns with the groups purpose to give student perspective to the board that is indicative of how their classmates feel in order to provide the board with insight when they make decisions that impact them.

Junior Board President Naomi Johnson, a senior at Everett High school, was joined by Vice President Antonio Leija-Navarro, a junior at Eastern High, and Secretary Washington Dejesus Sampaio-Mayer, a freshman at Eastern.

The board has student members from all high schools and middle schools, with staff advisors from each campus, along with board member Robin Moore serving as their liaison to the board.

They meet twice a month, mimicking the style of the board’s meetings, voting on topics and decisions to formally submit to the board.

“Each year the Junior Board of Education is involved in a district wide initiative to raise awareness for a current issue,” said Sampaio-Mayer.

This year they picked mental health Mondays to help support students who were struggling with their mental health and raise awareness among their peers. They wore green on Mondays and handed out bracelets, taught stress management techniques and how to be open on the subject.

The board honored many of the advisors, student board members and student officers who attended the meeting.

Student officers received special jackets in honor of their excellent work representing their school and peers this past year.

Johnson shared that she will be attending Colombia next year to pursue her undergraduate degree in political science and then getting her masters in law.

Moore added: “It's been an honor serving as your liaison for the board. But I just want to say I'm so proud of all of you. And our absent students that aren't here.”