Clayton High student named to N.C. Board of Education Advisory Council

Submitted by JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

CLAYTON — Clayton High School junior Marcela Villasuso Venegas was recently appointed to the State Board of Education Advisory Council. She was personally chosen by State Superintendent Catherine Truitt to serve the two-year term.

The State Board of Education consists of the lieutenant governor, the treasurer and 11 members appointed by the governor for eight-year, overlapping terms, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly.

Eight of the appointed members of the Board represent the eight education districts of the state. These districts are drawn by the General Assembly. Johnston County is in North Central District 3.

Other members of the board include the current and prior year’s North Carolina Teachers and Principals of the Year, who serve as advisors. Other advisors include a local superintendent and a local school board member.

Venegas is one of just two high school students on the advisory council. Each year, the state superintendent personally picks a high school junior for the position on the advisory council. “I’m truly grateful to Superintendent Truitt,” Venegas said. “I look up to her so much.”

During her tenure on the advisory council, Venegas hopes to be a bridge between students and the state board of education. “Maybe I can be a guide either for the board to see things from our point of view, or for students to understand what happens behind the scenes,” she said.

In addition, she plans to make sure the students of North Carolina are getting the education they deserve. “I think it’s important that we have people have people who really want what’s best for our students making those decisions for us,” Venegas said.

Education is a major focus for her entire family. Her father graduated from college in Mexico. Her two older sisters have also both earned degrees, making them the first in Venegas’ family to graduate college in the United States. It wasn’t without struggle, though.

Her dad’s job required that she and her family move around a lot. They went from Tennessee to Canada to Wisconsin and back to Tennessee before putting down roots in Clayton, all by the time Marcela was just 9 years old.

Being so young, moving didn’t affect Venegas that much. “I enjoyed living in different places,” she said.

The same was not true for her sisters. They struggled to maintain their grades, sometimes due to transcripts being lost from one school to the next. They never gave up, however, Marcela took notice.

She is also inspired by her parents’ commitment to providing a better life for her and her sisters. “They packed up everything, moved to a new country not knowing a soul and barely spoke the language." Venegas said. "They always figured out a way to make it work."

That is why Venegas juggles academics and sports with a laser focus and a positive attitude. “School is so important when it comes to finding your niche and what’s important to you,” she said.

Venegas is an honor student taking advanced placement and Johnston Community College courses while also being a conference champion tennis player for the Clayton High Comets. “They both create new opportunities and have opened so many doors for me,” she said.

She believes the social aspects of school such as sports, clubs, or any extracurricular activity, is just as important as academics. “All of that ties into your education,” Venegas said emphatically.

A Clayton High campus leader, Principal Dr. Bennet Jones said, “Marcela is a fantastic representative of not only Clayton High School, but of Johnston County Public Schools and students across the state of North Carolina. She embodies the Comets’

‘All In’ mentality in all that she does, excelling in the classroom, on the tennis courts, throughout the school, and in the community. We are proud to have her serving as a student advisor to the State Board of Education where she can continue to share her experiences and perspectives in advocacy for all students in North Carolina public schools.”

With sights set on life after high school, Venegas plans to spend a year in Canada as an au pair while finishing her associate degree online at Johnston Community College and is taking French now to prepare. “I really want to step out of my comfort zone,” she said.

After that, it’s on to a four-year university where Venegas plans to major in either journalism or physics. Never without her journal, she writes in it at least once a day. As far as physics goes, “I really love equations,” she laughed.

Until then, Venegas will continue to make her mark at CHS and at the state level with the advisory council. “I’m really excited for the next two years,” Venegas said, smiling. “It’s astonishing to think about.”