South River Junior Elected to County Board of Education

From Anne Arundel County Public Schools:

Ayesha Chaudhry, a junior at South River High School, was elected by members of the Chesapeake Regional Association of Student Councils Tuesday to be the 2014-2015 student member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education.

Christopher Umanzor of Old Mill High School and Camilla Shanley of North County High School were the other finalists for the position.

Ayesha’s name will be forwarded to Gov. Martin O’Malley, who must make the formal appointment. She would be the third South River High School student to serve on the board in the last five years, and would succeed current student member Else Drooff of Broadneck High School, whose one-year term expires in June.

Ayesha, who speaks six languages, ran on a platform of expanding the current school system budget, replacing high school lunches with multipurpose hours, and expanding clubs and organizations at middle and high schools to develop future leaders.

“Becoming SMOB makes me feel complete because it has been an ongoing goal for me since seventh grade,” Ayesha said. “I am thrilled to have the chance to represent my fellow students.”

Upon appointment, Ayesha will become the 41st student member of the board. Students have held a seat on the board since 1974, when Andover High School’s Jeffrey Robinson served in an advisory capacity. Anne Arundel’s student member has had full voting rights since 1975, and is the only member of a local school board in the nation to have that status.

If appointed, Ayesha would assume her seat on July 1.