By Crystal Hayduk
Senior Nicolas Arons and junior Carly Critchfield attended their first Chelsea School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 11 as the new student representatives.
Students were invited to apply and interview for a position on the school board so that board members could gain an understanding of the student experience directly from student liaisons. Students also serve as representatives on school boards in Dexter, Milan, and Saline.
Arons will serve the rest of the school year until his graduation. Critchfield is expected to serve during her senior year, while mentoring a new junior representative to be chosen early in the 2016-17 school year.
Arons and Critchfield were two of six students who were interviewed for the positions by a team composed of Principal Mike Kapolka, board member Greg Rhodes, a teacher and a fellow student. Selection criteria to be interviewed included grade level of junior or senior, prior experience holding a cabinet position of a school club or group, an application with letter of intent, and two letters of recommendation.
Arons is interested in the administration side of education, and looks forward to increasing his knowledge of how the district is run. In the remaining months of his senior year, he plans to explore the role that a student representative can play on the board in “creating a bridge” between the board and students.
“The legacy that Carly and I can leave is probably mostly helping to set up what’s to come in the future,” he said.
Arons plays varsity soccer, runs, and is a member of Company C. He enjoys all subjects at school, but prefers mathematics and science. He is strongly considering a future career in engineering.
Critchfield is excited that the school board thought it would be beneficial to have student representation. She pursued the position because she thought it would be a good fit following her leadership experience this past fall as a drum major. She believes that the first six months on the board will consist mostly of building relationships with the board members and “… finding a way to make it beneficial to them and to the students.”
Music is an important part of Critchfield’s life. She plays the saxophone in the school band, but also plays piano. Like Arons, she enjoys all academic areas, but English and history are her favorites. She is considering the possibility of studying international relations in the future.
Arons said that one potential challenge he and Critchfield face as students on the board will be balancing the time commitment for attending meetings with completing their studies. “We’re still students first,” he said.
Both students look forward to their new role in providing the board with the student voice. “We hope to provide the board with the best and most accurate representation of the lives of students,” said Critchfield.
