At the recent Honeoye Falls-Lima Board of Education meeting, high school students Michael Ruff and Penelope Armes were appointed as student representatives. Ruff was officially sworn in by Board of Education President Caralyn Ross, while Armes, unable to attend the meeting, will be sworn in at a later date.
Their appointments are in accordance with HF-L Board Policy 1340, which allows high school students to serve as ex officio members of the Board for a one-year term. Although ex officio members do not have voting rights, they hold a seat at the table and can offer valuable input on matters discussed and voted on by the Board.
“I was interested in becoming a student representative because I am interested in seeing and being a part of the decision-making process that affect my school, my classmates, and myself,” said Ruff.
Ruff’s and Armes' roles highlight HF-L’s dedication to student involvement in district governance, ensuring student voices are heard in shaping the future of the school community.
“Student representatives are a valuable addition to our meetings. They provide the Board with updates on student activities, information about issues that are important to students, and a student perspective on matters before the Board,” said Ross. “Seeing the representatives at the board table also reminds board members of why we do this job in the first place: for our students. We are fortunate to have two student representatives again this year, and we look forward to working with them.”