NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: June 15, 2023
Lafayette High School’s Kate Riddle selected as 2023-24 State Board of Education junior student representative
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) has selected Kate Riddle of Lafayette High School in the Lafayette County School District in Oxford to serve as the high school SBE junior student representative for the 2023-24 school year.
Charlie Frugé, the 2022-23 SBE junior student representative of Oxford High School in the Oxford School District, is now serving as the 2023-24 SBE senior student representative.
Student representatives are non-voting SBE members who serve two years and provide input on policy decisions that affect Mississippi public schools. Each year after the senior representative graduates, the junior representative is promoted to the senior representative position and a new junior representative is appointed.
“The State Board of Education values input our student representatives give throughout the year as they share students’ perspectives and happenings on the local level,” said Glen East, SBE vice-chair/acting chair. “We welcome Kate to the student representative program and look forward to working with her during the next two years.”
Kate has excelled at Lafayette High School and in her community. She is a Principal’s List scholar and recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award. She helped establish the Lafayette High School Dance Team and serves as team captain. Her volunteer services include teaching young students at the Oxford Elite Dance Company, assisting at Vacation Bible School, and building gingerbread houses at a local nursing home. Kate’s other extracurricular activities include Oxford Elite Dance Company member, Student Council, Dores Amateur Radio Club, Beta Club, Crown Club, Anchor Club and Mu Alpha Theta.
“As a student and citizen in Lafayette County and the state of Mississippi, I care deeply about the amelioration of my fellow peers and citizens,” Kate wrote in her application for the SBE junior representative position. “I am eager to raise the instruction levels in my community while offering the Mississippi State Board of Education a student’s perspective on changes that might affect their daily ritual.”
The alternate junior representative is Yaerim Choi of Starkville High School in the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District. An alternate is named to fulfill the term of the junior student representative should the representative be unable to complete the term for any reason.
The eligible applicant pool for the 2023-24 junior representative included 28 students. The 10 semifinalists will join the Mississippi Department of Education’s Student Advisory Council, which will provide input about educational opportunities and policy with the state superintendent of education.
Approximately 15 state boards of education have successfully implemented student advisory programs. In 2018, the SBE adopted a policy outlining the criteria for adding student representatives to the State Board.
Find all MDE news releases at mdek12.org/news.
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