A few dozen students gathered last week in the Huntingtown High auditorium to cast their votes, not for president or senator but for who would next represent their voices on the Calvert County Board of Education.
Once votes were tallied, student government associations from the county’s public middle and high schools had elected Grace Minakowski to be their student member of the school board for the 2024-2025 school year.
Minakowski, a junior at Huntingtown High School, ran her campaign with a focus on protecting and expanding students’ rights. She plans on fighting for equal access to academic and extracurricular activities for all students, including SAT and ACT subsidies as well as transportation to athletic and club activities.
“Bridging the gap between students and adults is my biggest priority and that comes through in all parts of my platform,” Minakowski said in an interview before the on Feb. 21 election held at Huntingtown High.
Minakowski aims to maintain a diverse curriculum for students. She plans to reform both the current protocol for reporting bullying and harassment and the current social-emotional learning programs to better suit students’ needs while in office.
“I want to help other people,” Minakowski said. “My role as SMOB [student member of the board] is not to just lead. My role is to make other leaders and help students find their voice.”
Minakowski’s interest in student government began when she joined SGA in sixth grade. Now, she serves as the chair of the Maryland Youth Advisory Council and is on the executive board of the Maryland Association of Student Councils.
Minakowski has lobbied the state legislature for education-related bills and served last year as the president of the Calvert Association of Student Councils. She also serves for as a student workshop coordinator with the association, where she organizes and hosts leadership workshops for other students.
“She’s a very determined and passionate person. I think she’ll make a great SMOB,” said Huntingtown High School SGA member Pilhar Colley of Minakowski. “She’s a great leader.”
Minakowski ran against Maggie Bradford, a sophomore from Northern High School. SGA members from all middle and high schools in the county wore stickers for their favorite candidates as they gathered in the Huntingtown High School auditorium to cast their votes on Feb. 21.
“Both candidates are excellent representatives of their family, school, their student government and our region,” said CASC regional advisor and Patuxent High School teacher Scott Goldstein. “It was a very difficult choice for the voters.”
Though both candidates vied for one spot, the qualities of respectful and kind leaders were showcased in the passing moments of the election. When one candidate finished her speech, the other had a high-five waiting.
The election also included a Q&A session where candidates could answer questions from SGA members. Members then voted for their candidate of choice, with each high school receiving four votes and each middle school receiving two votes.
“Having student leaders choose someone to represent their point of view gives board of education members an every day look at the student experience and gives that student board member an opportunity to speak for their peers,” Goldstein said. “Our students will be well-served by such a dynamic and dedicated leader.”
Minakowski will take the position from current student member of the board Jordan Hayes. Hayes, a junior at Patuxent High School, is one of two finalists to serve as the student member of the board for the Maryland Board of Education next school year. Gov. Wes Moore (D) will appoint the state board’s student member in June.
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