At the October 17 Board of Directors Meeting, the district introduced eight Puyallup School District (PSD) High School Students as the 2022-23 school board student representatives.
Emerald Ridge High School
- Korinne Dutton, Junior
- Jose Martinez, Senior - Alternate
Puyallup Online Academy
Puyallup High School
- Hailey Kim, Junior
- Alejandra Gonzalez, Junior - Alternate
Rogers High School
- Cimerra Killian Porter, Senior
- Josue Ortega, Senior - Alternate
Walker High School
- Mariana Canales, Junior - Alternate
In September, over 60 juniors and seniors across the district applied for the opportunity to represent PSD for the school year. The district's instructional leadership committee selected the students, who they assessed on clear written communication, their ideas for gathering input from the larger student body, and a clear vision for service to the district and PSD community.
(L-R) - Superintendent Dr. John Polm, Hailey Kim (PHS Finalist), Alejandra Gonzalez (PHS Alternate), Cimerra Killian Porter (RHS Finalist), Korinne Dutton (ERHS Finalist), and Luka Rogers (POA Finalist)
Dutton, also a running start student, says the role would be another link that would provide her with more opportunities and even commitments to keep her closer to PSD.
"I find even myself often struggling to maintain an active role in my high school life," Dutton said. "I have a slightly different perspective than the average high school student. Essentially, I see how my own school operates, and I see how another one does as well. This gives me both an inside and outside perspective."
Kim says as a student representative, she will be able uplift student voices on a larger scale.
"To me, dedication to the students should be the priority," Kim said. "We are living through history as we know it, so it is crucial that we engage in an open, inclusive dialogue that represents everyone's best interests. Encouraging the new generation to take hold of their futures is my goal not just for the school board—but for my schooling and educational career."
2022-23 Alternate PSD School Board Student Representatives (L-R) - Alejandra Gonzalez, Jose Martinez, Josue Ortega, and Mariana Canales
Porter, a battalion S-3 in the RHS JROTC Program, says her responsibilities in that role prepared her to become a district representative.
"This job (JROTC) entails a lot of responsibility—especially when it comes to scheduling and executing projects with all of our cadets," Porter says. "In our battalion we have 70 cadets, and I am responsible for everything they do in our battalion. As someone who cares about getting involved in our community, I would love to bring a fresh voice that can speak for those who are too nervous or who aren’t necessarily being heard enough.
Rogers says he believes he can fill a role where he represents the concerns, thoughts, and feelings of students at POA.
"I want to serve as a student representative because I want to make POA, schools, and the school system a better place for every kind of student that could possibly exist," Rogers said. "I care about making a difference for my fellow students and making a change in our school system more than nearly anything else. If I can make even a small difference by being a student representative, I would be beyond happy that I had a chance to work towards making things better."
Each student's term is for the remainder of the 2022-23 school year.