By Paritosh Bhole, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Three seniors from Bridgewater-Raritan High School were appointed to be student representatives in the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education.
The induction meeting was held at the Wade Administration Building on Tuesday evening, October 8, when the student representatives Gianna Callari, Sunny Chen and Isabel Lu were welcomed during the Board of Education’s regular public meeting.
Superintendent Robert Beers first provided an update on the Week of Respect that is being recognized in Bridgewater-Raritan as well as at all public school districts in New Jersey. He touched on the activities that were being held all week in all 11 of the 11 schools in the district.
Jennifer Loughran, the Vice President of the Board of Education, began the session’s agenda of welcoming the three new student representatives. She filled in for President Barry Walker, who was out of town on October 9.
These new representatives will regularly be attending board meetings during the 2024-2025 school year, providing valuable insight from a student perspective,
Each went through a rather selective process in order to be considered for this position.
First, each applicant interested in becoming a student representative had to complete an extensive form explaining why they believed that they were a good candidate and how they would be able to provide insight to the board. Next, selected applicants moved onto an interview stage with Daniel Hemberger, the Bridgewater-Raritan High School Principal.
Finally, these three students were selected and were introduced to the board.
Principal Hemberger expanded on his intentions with these representatives and how he believes they can contribute to board discussions.
“Given the amount of applicants we received for this position, there is a lot of weight in terms of prestige in this position… The student representatives’ input is very useful from my end of things because they’re an extension of our communications team. Student's voices are really essential, and they offer insight into things I can improve. There are 3,000 students and only 300 faculty, so their input is very beneficial,” he said.
Callari spoke of her enthusiasm.
“I’m very passionate about serving and advocating for my peers, and I hope to use my diverse experiences at this school to ensure every student feels heard. I plan to effectively communicate ideas between the board and the student body, fostering positive changes in our community for current and future students,” she said.
Chen elaborated on what she hopes to accomplish in this role.
“Students experience the effects of educational policies first hand—thus, their input provides valuable insight into everyday occurrences so the Board of Education can be informed and effectively address them. I would like to focus on accessibility and inclusion, so I hope to be a voice for all BRHS students,” she revealed.
Lu reflected on her nomination and spoke of her gratitude.
“I feel honored to be a board representative this year and I just hope to be an advocate for my peers. Bridgewater-Raritan has given me the space to develop into who I am and I want everyone to feel the same,” she stated.
Callari and Chen were also a part of the Student Advisory Council, a group of Bridgewater-Raritan High School representatives who cater specifically to the community and its needs.