Zoe Langsdale, Member of Student Advisory Board, Serves as Representative on School Committee

Zoe Langsdale, ’13, works on both the Student Advisory Board and the School Committee to assist with communication between the two.

The Student Advisory Board began when Hailey Andler, ’11, wanted to be involved with and increase student advocacy. Andler was made aware of a Massachusetts law requiring school committees to have a student advisory committee, and she worked with ARHS School Committee members to organize one. The Student Advisory Board works to receive information from the student body pertaining to specific aspects of the school with which they take issue and regularly meets with ARHS Principal Mark Jackson and Amherst Superintendent Maria Geryk.

“[The problems can range] from hall passes to the school calendar. We then take that information and relay it to the school committee. This is where I come in,” said Langsdale. “I represent the student body on the committee and voice students' concerns. I serve as a non-voting member who voices student body's concerns as said before, as well as relaying the goings on of any decisions or ideas the school committee puts on the table back to the Student Advisory Board, and eventually, back to the students. We are the ones actually in school, after all.”

Langsdale enjoys her work with the Committee because it makes her feel as if she’s making a difference in her community. She finds the responsibility empowering and finds joy in representing the entire school along with her peers, Josh Wolfsun, Solomon Goldstein-Rose, and Jordan Helzer on the Student Advisory Board.