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Student Senate showcases yearlong projects on equity, mental health and translation supports
Summary
Student senators from Albemarle high schools presented a year of work Thursday — including inclusion events, a stress-relief week, community-engagement fairs and plans to buy more pocket-translation devices — and asked the board to sustain and scale the body’s role in policy and budget conversations.
Student leaders described a year of student-led civic work to the Albemarle County School Board on May 14, highlighting events and projects intended to increase inclusion, reduce testing stress and connect students with community partners. Board members heard brief presentations from student senators at Albemarle High, Monticello and Western Albemarle, followed by a question-and-answer session.
Maxwell Keys and Amy Wong from Albemarle High summarized efforts to build inclusion across affinity groups, host cultural events and fund a "stress-free week" of activities for students during testing. They said part of their remaining student-senate funds would go to purchasing pocket-translation devices to support newcomers and multilingual families. "We hope these funds will go towards purchasing increased numbers of pocket talks that will be available in the library," the students said.
Claire Curry of Western Albemarle described recurring community-building events such as trunk-or-treat and the "Always Better Together" festival that brings student groups, community nonprofits and food from local vendors together to celebrate culture and connection. Several student presenters cited partnerships with local organizations and the Jefferson School African-American Heritage Center as meaningful learning experiences.
Assistant Superintendent Daffany Kaiser framed the Student Senate as an embedded structure connected to the division strategic plan, noting student participation in three annual summits (leadership, budget/advocacy, and school showcases) and a spring invitation from a state lawmaker to continue the conversation in Richmond. Board members asked how students are recruited and how others can get involved; staff explained high-school principals and existing student senators facilitate recruitment, with attention to including younger students who show leadership potential.
Students asked the board to support next-year plans to be more organized and action-oriented and to help connect student priorities to budget and policy decisions. Board members praised the presentations and discussed potential next steps for highlighting the student-senate model regionally.
