WASHINGTON STATE — The Washington State Board of Education is searching for a high school sophomore to serve as a student representative, providing a voice for 1.1 million K-12 students across the state.
“They bring a really essential and important perspective that really helps guide the work of the Board to make sure that we're creating policies that ensure that every student has the knowledge to thrive,” said Colton Kaltenfeldt, communications manager for the Washington State Board of Education.
The selected student will attend board meetings every two months over a two-year term and will have opportunities to meet with lawmakers and testify at committee hearings about the impact of policies on students.
Kaltenfeldt said Washington is one of 24 states with a student representative on its state board of education and one of only six states that grants them full voting powers.
“These students aren't really showing up to give a symbolic opinion; they actually do have a very real say in the decisions to get made,” Kaltenfeldt said. “Sometimes their vote can be the difference about whether something goes forward or doesn't.”
The student representative should expect to miss about 16 days of school per year, but will receive a stipend of up to $100 per day for attending board meetings and be reimbursed for travel expenses.
The position is open to high school sophomores from all backgrounds, regardless of where they live within the state, but with a preference for those willing to dedicate time and effort.
Applications are available on the Association of Washington Student Leaders website. The deadline to apply is March 28.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY APPLE VALLEY NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.