Shawnee Senior Serving On State Superintendent's Student Advisory Council
by David Dinsmore
L
ike many high school seniors, Hanaa Saidi is trying to define exactly what her future will look like. The teachers and administrators at Shawnee Public School, however, know what she brings to the present, and that’s why superintendent April Grace nominated Saidi for the 2021 Student Advisory Council working with the office of state superintendent Joy Hofmeister. “It was an honor for me to put Hanaa's name forward for the advisory council,” Grace said in a press release. “Her experience in student council and our band program will give Hanaa a unique perspective when engaging in rich conversations as part of the council.” Saidi knew another local student who served on the council last year and became interested when she received an email from Grace talking about her possible nomination. She said she did some research into the types of discussions and input the state advisory council conducted. “I knew that was something I wanted to be a part of,” Saidi said. “I was so honored when I got the email. I was so excited. I ran home and told my family” Some of the issues that piqued her interest was a focus on how local and state politics shape each school district, Saidi said. She liked the idea that she could contribute ideas that could help her fellow Shawnee students but also students across the state as well. Saidi joins 96 other Oklahoma high school students for the sixth consecutive iteration of the group convened to assist Hofmeister and the Oklahoma State Department of Education in discussing and defining policy matters using student input. “Students have a lot to say about their education, and it is critical that we listen to them,” Hofmeister 8
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Hanaa Saidi is representing Shawnee Public Schools at the state level through the Student Advisory Council established by state education superintendent Joy Hofmeister’s office. Saidi also serves as the local student council president at Shawnee High School. Photos by Kristen Nguyen Co., submitted by Shawnee Public Schools
