From January 2 to January 25, sophomores and juniors will once again have the opportunity to apply as a candidate for the 42nd Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) position. Ten students have already announced their candidacy and have started on the campaign trail—launching websites, visiting schools and more to outline their platforms. A nominating convention will be held at Gaithersburg High School on February 20 to select the final two candidates, and the general SMOB election will take place on April 24.
As a part of the school board, the SMOB is responsible for voting on MCPS decisions with the student perspective in mind. SMOBs also propose their own resolutions during board meetings and dedicate much of their time to discussing the policies they want to see.
Just last month, the current SMOB, senior Ananya Tadikonda, proposed a county-wide boundary study to help increase diversity in schools. The resolution passed in early January with a 7-1 vote, according to Bethesda Magazine.
“I convinced my colleagues of why I believed that was something worth spending money on. To put it in perspective, I spent around 18 hours on the phone over the span of last Thursday and Friday trying to do that,” Tadikonda said.
Outside of Board meetings, the SMOB attends Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association (MCR-SGA) meetings and Montgomery County Junior Councils (MCJC-SGA) meetings and meets with the SMOB advisory council. Beyond the policy making process, the SMOB also visits schools across the county to hear what issues students think are prevalent.
Additionally, Tadikonda has attended various board events and conferences to engage with state leaders and school staff throughout her term. “It’s a really tough job; I put in about 40 hours a week, like a full-time job in addition to being a full-time student,” Tadikonda said.
Despite the workload, Tadikonda has always found great value in representing her peers through student government. Before becoming the 41st SMOB, she served several positions in Montgomery County Regional (MCR) Student Government Association (SGA) and the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC), among others. She also founded MoCo EmpowHER, which aims to develop leadership in young women.
“I had been involved in student government for a while mainly because in middle school, I saw problems that I wanted to help address by being a student leader,” Tadikonda said. “That’s what really led me to run for the SMOB position. I wanted to represent a diverse group of students that are in MCPS and advocate for their most dire needs.”
Tadikonda is also the first SMOB to chair one of the Board’s committees, serving as the chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Her position has allowed her to play a larger role in the long-term direction of the school system.
Some of the many resolutions she has contributed to include: a push for take home devices for students who don’t have technology access, free SAT testing in all high schools, a return to 10-day spring break and a county-wide bathroom renovation plan. Before Tadikonda’s term expires on June 30, she plans to continue working on several county-wide mental health initiatives.
“I definitely encourage any student interested in impacting the lives of their peers to get involved in educational policy making by running for SMOB,” Tadikonda said. Although only two candidates will be able to run in the general election, all candidates who apply have the opportunity to draft a platform and talk to students from a variety of backgrounds.
“I really had a chance to hear a wide range of perspectives and understand where they came from and diversify my own perspective as well,” Tadikonda said. “My advice for campaigning is really the willingness to listen to students and advocate for them because at the end of the day, you’re not there to advocate for yourself. You’re there to advocate for the 163,000 students you represent.”
Article by MoCo Student staff writer Helen Qian of Richard Montgomery High School