MOUNT VERNON – Ana De Leon Paez, 12th-grade student at Mount Vernon High School, was sworn in as the new student trustee at the Board of Education reorganizational meeting on Thursday, July 6, 2023.
“To me, it’s a great honor that they would choose me for this role because ever since I’ve been in this school, I’ve been trying to make a change somehow,” said Ana. “I feel like this is the best way to do it. I’m just very honored that they chose me for that.”
Her priorities as a student trustee will be advocating for a safe school environment where everyone is engaged and wants to come to school. She also thinks it is important to make sure that schools are accessible for people who speak other languages.
Ana is excited to continue attending board meetings and having an impact in the school district. As she eases into the position, she will work with a team of students at MVHS that will be supporting her. She will consider their input, and they will work together on any projects that she will bring to the Board.
She would like to plan events that unify her school, as well as the entire district. She also wants to visit different schools to hear their input on what could improve the school environment to become a more unified community.
Ana is a top student at MVHS and has been on the honor roll every semester of her high school career. She also is enrolled in two International Baccalaureate Programme (IB) classes: IB History and IB Language.
Ana works in her free time and has worked since she was 14 years old. She always chooses jobs working with the community, including the police department, the library and the health center. She finds it important to help her community and strives to continue doing so as a student trustee.
She plans on attending college to become a veterinarian, which she has wanted to do her whole life.
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