SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education is now taking applications from eligible high school students interested in serving on the state agency’s 15-member Student Advisory Council (SAC) for the 2012-13 school year.

“We are looking for the best students from across the state who are willing to step up and represent their peers,” said State Board of Education Chairman Gery J. Chico. “The student leaders bring an essential perspective to the State Board of Education.”

The Student Advisory Council, which was established in 1975, represents a diverse group of students from across Illinois who have demonstrated a strong work ethic, the ability to think creatively and work well in groups. Eligibility for the Student Advisory Council is open to students attending a public high school in Illinois who are entering the fall semester as a sophomore, junior or senior.

“This is one of the greatest opportunities for students in our state. It affords you the chance to represent your peers. The networking with both students and professionals is something that no other student job can present,” said Andrew Van Treeck, a graduating member of the 2011-12 Student Advisory Council. After graduating from Batavia Senior High School, Andrew plans to study economics at the University of Pittsburgh. 

The SAC members represent student concerns and can provide thoughts on ISBE’s existing and proposed programs, policies and regulations. The student members also choose a special project to research and present before the board at the end of the school year.

“My favorite part of this experience is meeting many new people from other areas of Illinois and collaborating with them on the project,” said SAC member Cameron Jodlowski, who will be entering his senior year at Olympia High School in Stanford.
 
The 2010-11 Student Advisory Council presented “The Exploration of the Physical Education Mandate” to the State Board Education. To read this special project and others from previous years, and for more information about SAC, go to http://www.isbe.net/sac/. Members of the 2011-12 Student Advisory Council will present research on the topic of bullying at the State Board of Education meeting set for June 21.

“Serving in the Student Advisory Council is an amazing opportunity,” said SAC member Paige Logan, who will be a senior at Altamont High School in the fall.”You get to be involved with schools across the state and make a difference in so many lives.”

Five SAC members are expected to return as seniors serving on the ISBE committee, including Logan, Jodlowski, Jolie-Grace Wareham of Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Conor Reilley of Belvidere North High School and Kristin Ishmael of Litchfield High School.

“It was a lot of hard work, but it was a great learning experience. It was awesome to get to be a part of a group where every single individual participates,” said Kristin Ishmael.

Those graduating this year after serving on SAC include Emily Chesser of Williamsville High School, Austin Evans of Lovington High School, Aaron Jackson of Grayslake Central High School, Neshal Patel of Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, Sarah Reising-Rechner of Athens Senior High School, Van Treeck of Batavia, Abhinav Brahmamdam of Springfield High School, Maisie Mahoney of Oregon High School, Erin Martell of Maine South High School in Park Ridge, and Myles Gearon of Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in Chicago.

“While you are contributing to your education, you also have a great opportunity to make interesting connections with other students from across the state as well as educators, from your own school administrators, to people from the U.S. Department of Ed,” said Myles Gearon, who plans to study computer engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The deadline to submit an application for the 2012-13 Student Advisory Council is 5 p.m. Thursday, May 31, 2012. Interviews will be scheduled in July for those applicants chosen as possible members. For questions, contact Mike Hatfill of ISBE at (217) 524-4832 or dhatfill@isbe.net.