Matthew Freitag, a junior at Washington High School, is the new student adviser for the School District of Washington’s Board of Education.
Freitag replaces Ella Scott as the student adviser to the Board. The terms are for one year.
Interested student candidates recently went through an application and interview process with administration prior to being selected by the high school student body.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity. I was a little hesitant about applying for this at first, but the support I received from the high school administration made it seamless. I’m excited that I’ll be able to connect with students throughout the District and recognize some of the things they’re doing,” Freitag said. “I’ve always wanted to be involved. It started with student council my freshman year and just got bigger and bigger from there. I saw this opportunity and thought it would be a great experience. I’ll get a chance to meet a lot of new people and hopefully have an impact in our school district and community.”
Matthew is highly involved with different clubs and groups at Washington High School, including National Honor Society, Student Council, Leadership, Blue Jay Journal TV, Key Club, Interact and Mu Alpha Theta. He is currently the Junior Class Co-President.
“One of my favorite classes was Bio Med my sophomore year. Mrs. (Krista) Williams is an awesome teacher and it really opened my eyes to things that happen in the medical field,” Freitag said. “Honors Algebra II with Mrs. (Ally) Rettke also was one of my favorite classes because she taught me so much and I made a really good connection with her.”
Outside of school, Freitag is involved with the Krakow 4H Club and does volunteer work with Mercy Hospital in Washington. He’s also shown hogs since he was 8 years old and enjoys spending time with his friends.
“The best part about attending Washington High School is the people. You get to see a lot of people and meet a lot of people. Everybody is friendly here. The school provides a good support system for students,” Freitag said.
The student adviser is expected to attend all regular board meetings, give student adviser reports, and may be asked to report on particular issues. The adviser also is expected to communicate with students throughout the district on a regular basis.
The student adviser does not sit in on executive sessions or is privy to any confidential information.
Matthew is the son of John and Lorie Freitag. He’s looking at going into Pre-Med in college and would like to attend either the University of Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City, or Washington University in St. Louis.
Matthew Freitag