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Board honors two scholar superstars and hears student leaders on policy and budget engagement
Summary
The board recognized two scholar superstars — a fifth grader from Liberty Elementary and a senior from City Neighbors Charter School — and heard the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City describe two student engagement events that gathered feedback on policy revisions and budget priorities.
The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners on Jan. 20 recognized two students selected as January Scholar Superstars and heard a student‑leader report on youth engagement in policy and budget discussions.
The board presented a certificate to Kieran Tucker, a fifth grader at Liberty Elementary School in West Baltimore, who was honored as a scholar superstar. Kieran’s remarks in a short video and in person noted activities including cheerleading, dance, volleyball and flag football and his classroom leadership. A family member who spoke at the meeting described Kieran’s academic progress, saying he moved from below grade level to above grade level with school supports.
The second honoree was Jakai Benskin, a senior at City Neighbors Charter School, who the board recognized for advocacy work and extracurricular leadership including co‑founding the school’s Green Team, serving as president of the choir and first chair in the steel band. Jakai told the board he has received multiple college acceptances and encouraged peers to “don’t give up on yourself.”
Following the recognitions, student leader Benjamin Grimaldi, an eighth grader and an ad hoc member of the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City (ASCBC), briefed the board on two recent student engagement events. ASCBC co‑hosted a Youth Board Forum that gathered student feedback on proposed revisions to two district policies — policy JICJ, governing portable electronic devices, and policy JJIC, governing academic eligibility for student athletes — and student facilitators led breakout discussions on anticipated implementation and school‑by‑school differences.
ASCBC also co‑hosted a Youth Budget Forum attended by about 60 students from across the city. Grimaldi said students prioritized attendance and dropout re‑engagement, and accelerating literacy and math achievement as top budget priorities. ASCBC leaders said staff captured student feedback and ASCBC expects follow‑up showing how the district used students’ recommendations.
ASCBC announced its winter General Assembly for Feb. 11, a peer‑led meeting that will be offered in English and Spanish. The board thanked ASCBC for hosting the forums and said it plans to attend the Feb. 11 assembly.
The student recognitions and ASCBC report were presented during the beginning portion of the meeting and were followed by regular business.
