student trustee on the San Diego Unified Board of Education and president of the
California Student Board Member Association. He lives in University City. Bylsma is a senior at Poway High School, and a
student trustee on the Poway Unified Board of Education, and vice president of the California Student Board Member Association. She lives in Poway.
We will never forget our experiences of serving on local school boards during the largest public health crisis in recent history. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has tested the capacity and resilience of schools nationwide, we are proud to fiercely advocate for thousands of students as our school districts work toward a safe and equitable reopening. As student board members, our voices are critical to board deliberations that often include parents, teachers and the community while excluding the students themselves. We are fortunate to be members of boards of education where we are judged by the merits of our ideas, not by our age.