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09/11/2013 12:00 AMA high school student himself, Jake Colavolpe would like the voices of students heard.
It's not always easy for students to tell administrators their issues and concerns related to education and what they really want and need from the educational process, but Jake is now in the position to do just that-and he couldn't be happier about the opportunity.
Jake, an East Haven resident and senior at The Sound School in New Haven, has recently begun a one-year term as a student member of the Connecticut Board of Education.
He will participate in monthly meetings at the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Hartford.
Jake, 17, says he learned about the opportunity to apply for board membership during the last school year.
"It was something that was very interesting to me," says Jake, who applied for and received the position at the end of the school year.
"I have a strong feeling students should have a voice in education," says Jake, noting that most people who make decisions regarding education have been out of school for many years. "It's great to have the perspective of someone in school."
Jake says he and one other student member on the board will represent all students in Connecticut.
Jake attended a board retreat in early August and his first official meeting at the LOB last week.
"They are very receptive to the ideas we bring forward," says Jake of the other board members. "They accept our opinion. Showing them what the effects [of their decisions] are is really important."
At last week's board meeting, Jake says he was impressed to see members of the public-from parents, teachers, and a college dean-take the time to present their views during the public comment portion of the meeting.
"Having all those perspectives was great," he says.
Jake explains that he has all of the normal responsibilities of a board member, except he can't vote.
"My words influence their vote," says Jake.
Jake says he's pleased to provide that influence and represent his fellow students in the state.
"Student choice and student responsibility are important," he says, noting the importance of getting students more involved in their education. "We needed to get students more interested in education."
Communication is crucial, he says.
"If there's a dialogue about it, something can be done," Jake says.
Jake plans to meet with his principal, Rebecca Gratz, other principals in New Haven, and students at The Sound School and other schools in New Haven to learn about their concerns related to education.
"With a new superintendent and new mayor [in New Haven after this November's election], there has been a lot of talk about a student member on the [New Haven] Board of Education," says Jake. "I hope they live up to that promise."
Jake says that, while his term is just one year, he plans to make the most of his opportunity.
"If I can do something for most of the students in Connecticut, I've done the best job I can in this position," he says.
As Jake begins his work as a board member, he is also beginning to make plans for life after The Sound School. He is working on college applications. He is interested in international relations and economics. He also has an interest in grassroots reform.
No matter what his future career field, "I will still be engaged in education reform," says Jake.
Jake says healthcare reform is also important to him. He is in his second year of working as a peer educator at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England.
Jake says his role there is to "make people feel comfortable with decisions about their health."
In the future, Jake would like to be a policy maker or possibly hold public office. He is visiting colleges in Washington, D.C., and is also contemplating a college career in New Haven.
For now, though, he is focused on his studies at The Sound School and his work on the state board of education.
"It really means a lot to me," says Jake.