Student Leadership Program Bridges Gap Between Students and Board
New initiative helps students' voices be heard at school board meetings
Making decisions that directly impact students in the district, the Erie School Board noticed a missing piece of the puzzle that they sought to fill. "The student's empty seat at the dais was a constant reminder that we had work to do," said Jay Breneman, President of the Erie School Board.
In the past, a rotating student from each of the district's high schools was invited to sit in on board meetings to share feedback with the group from their peers. Since then, the effort evolved into the creation of the Spirit Council, which has now grown into the newly developed Student Leadership Program (SLP) launching this school year.
Breneman took much into consideration to bring the SLP to life: "After several board members expressed interest, I worked with principals to help arrange meetings with several student groups to ask, 'What would make this student role on the school board more meaningful?'" Breneman said. "I listened and shared their ideas and consulted the National Student Board Member Association (NSBMA) as well before creating and finalizing a proposal at the end of last school year."
The SLP will be made up of student liaisons from each of the area's three high schools – Erie High, Collegiate Academy, and the PJD Student Success Center, the district's hybrid/online program. Although they will be non-voting members, these students will act as a bridge between their school and the board and will be able to bring forward new perspectives, issues, and ideas that may have otherwise gone unnoticed or unheard.
Selection of the student representatives involves each school's administrative team taking applications from those interested in serving as a liaison. This process involves applicants completing a short submission that outlines their interest in the program, followed by interviews with administrators. From there, the student representatives are chosen. "This selection process ensures that liaisons are not only motivated but also prepared to take on the responsibility of representing their peers, engaging in meaningful discussions, and reporting back to their school communities," said Breneman.
The student representation in board meetings is twofold: not only do they get to represent their peers and bring valuable feedback to the group, they also get to practice leadership skills. "The program gives students meaningful, hands-on experience in governance," Breneman said. "It's an opportunity for young leaders to explore pathways in civic engagement and leadership development."
Representatives for the 2025-2026 school year include Carmen, Arpana, and Shayla from Erie High; Aleah and Plies from PJD; and Autumn, Hawo, and Jenna from Collegiate Academy. In August, the Collegiate Academy student liaisons participated in a virtual conference with the NSBMA.
Although this is the program's inaugural year it is already being lauded, with the school board winning an award for innovation from the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) which will be awarded at the association's annual conference in October.
For more information on the Student Leadership Program, visit the Erie School Board's Board Docs at go.boarddocs.com/pa/eriesd/Board.nsf/Public
Ally Kutz is a freelance writer and avid book reader who helps organize the Erie Reader Book Club. She can be reached at ally.kutz1@gmail.com
