Five high school juniors from across the county have been nominated to be the 2023-2024 Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) of Anne Arundel County, the Chesapeake Regional Association of Student Councils (CRASC) announced today.
The nominees are:
- Indu Bodala, Glen Burnie High School
- Peter Chiweshe, Broadneck High School
- Eric Lin, Severna Park High School
- Sophia Nwanze, Crofton High School
- Taryn Reinhart, Annapolis High School
Nominees must submit completed application packets to the Office of Student Leadership by 4 p.m. on March 20.
The field will be narrowed to three finalists once the application deadline closes and panel interviews are conducted. The candidates will take part in a debate broadcast on AACPS’ YouTube channel at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18. CRASC delegates will vote for a candidate in late April.
The candidate elected by CRASC will have his or her name forwarded to Governor Wes Moore, who must make the appointment.
Anne Arundel County’s student member on the Board of Education is the only one in the nation on a local board who has full voting rights.
The 2023-2024 SMOB will be the 50th in the history of Anne Arundel County Public Schools. Students have served on the Board since Jeffrey Robinson of Andover High School held an advisory seat in the 1974-1975 school year. Anthony Arend of Arundel High School became the first student member with full voting rights a year later.
More information about the Student Member of the Board can be found here.