Collinsville High School Senior Valerie Weeks will serve as CUSD 10’s student school board member during the 2017-18 school year. She attended her first meeting on Monday, August 21.
In her application, Weeks wrote, “A student’s opinion is an important barometer since we are the ones who are currently affected by decisions of the School Board. I personally see issues in our school district and will be able to give input to help set goals to solve these issues as the student member.”
Weeks has a 4.82 GPA, is ranked 10th in the senior class and scored in the top 10% on the ACT exam. Her senior year schedule includes AP courses in Literature and Composition, Calculus, Physics, and Psychology. She is a member of the Lady Kahoks Varsity Basketball Team, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Spanish Club, Student Council and Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. Outside of school, she has volunteered at Memorial Hospital and Lodge of Tekakwitha.
She feels her school experiences — ranging from basketball to honor roll — provide insight for her to represent a wide variety of student opinions. She also sees herself as a team player who wants to motivate others around her and help make the community a better place.
“As the student school board member, it is my privilege to represent the students of our schools by providing frank and plain feedback to the Board. It is also my responsibility to keep the student body informed of happenings that could be affecting them. The Board of Education can make new decisions, but without being there, the effects are not always fully known. Students, firsthand, are the prefect references to find out how well something was implemented. When students are given more respect and a say to possibly influence what will affect them, they can definitely appreciate the impact and value in what they’re doing. When value is understood, motivation follows closely behind. By having me as a productive and active student member, the School Board is furthering the capabilities of all of its students,” says Weeks.
She is in the process of choosing a college and hopes to major in biochemistry.
Weeks is the third CHS senior to serve as the student representative on the Collinsville School Board. Each spring rising seniors can apply to be the Student School Board Member. CHS faculty reviews applications and forwards them to the School Board for selection and approval.