HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. -- Students in Hernando County are getting the chance to make their voices heard and cast their vote.
- Students to select next School Board representative
- Hernando County is one of a few districts that have the position
- 5 high school students are vying for the position
They're in the process of selecting their next student representative on the school board. The program has been in place in the county for six years.
Five high schoolers are vying for the school board position.
"It was a wonderful experience," Victoria Selby said.
Selby was the student representative when the program first started.
"I really got to learn a lot about local government," she said. "You start to think 'I want to change this and I want to change this,' but you don't realize all of the working parts that form to create the school district that we have."
Now, Selby is teaching at Springstead High School, where she went to school, and is the faculty advisor for the student representative program.
Hernando County is one of just a handful of districts in Florida that has a student on the school board. They don't vote but board members say their input is vital to the decisions the board makes.
"I've had a great experience with our representatives," board member Susan Duval said. "They're thoughtful they're reflective. They're smart. They are very articulate, and they have the best interest of our students right up top."
"We can never lose sight of our focus which is our kids our students they need to be heard," she added.
"The translation to what prepares them best sometimes they do know best when it comes to what is prepared for them and how it's delivered," Selby said.
Now, it's up to the students to decide who they want to represent them next.
Student representatives from every middle and elementary school in the county will be voting on the student school board position in two weeks.