New Belleville High School Student School Board Reps Named
Belleville High School seniors Sariah Croft and Ryker Swenson serve as new Student Reps to the School Board. Photo courtesy of Marie Perry
Leadership roles come in all shapes and sizes for high school students, whether it be through activities like sports, clubs, or student council; but, to serve as one’s school liaison to the Belleville School Board is a unique opportunity to make a difference. Seniors Sariah Croft and Ryker Swenson first appeared in their new roles as student representatives at the Belleville School Board Meeting on September 9th. The two Belleville students were nominated by their teachers and are excited to serve in their roles for the 2024-2025 school year.
Attending the September Belleville School Board meeting gave both Croft and Swenson a night to familiarize themselves with the operations of the School Board, names and faces of members; and, introduce themselves as individuals as the school year begins. Having seniors in this capacity is important as they have already had three years to familiarize themselves with the workings of the high school, know many of the students and faculty and can speak to vital concerns affecting students. Serving as a representative of one’s peers carries a lot of responsibility.
Croft is already serving the Belleville Schools for a second year in the Youth Apprenticeship program in the Technology Department, and hopes to pursue a degree in Computer Engineering at UW-Madison after graduation. As for her duties to the School Board, Sariah has put a lot of thought into her role as one of two Belleville Student School Board Representatives.
Croft reflects, “I’m excited to have the privilege of representing my fellow students and I hope I can provide valuable insight into the student body’s perspective to the School Board. Hopefully, I can make a lasting impact at this school before I graduate. It will be a good opportunity to work on leadership skills before college.”
For Ryker Swenson, he looks forward to serving in this capacity as he considers his future career interests. Swenson noted that he wants to pursue a future career as an attorney, and looks forward to gaining experience through civic engagement this year.
Swenson said, “Currently I’m in one of our Youth Apprenticeship programs. I work down at Village Hall, so I’m currently a member of the city government. Through that process I’ve learned a lot about how the government works – how it functions. I’m really enjoying it. After high school I hope to go to UW-Madison. After that, I hope to go to law school to pursue my career becoming a lawyer.”
The School Board student representatives reported that the school year was off to a good start and seniors were engaged in preparing to submit their college applications. Help on the application process through their English classes was appreciated by the seniors. Additionally, clubs were starting up and students were involved in many extracurricular opportunities to make for an exciting school year ahead.
MS/HS Principal Loshaw is excited to have Croft and Swenson serve in this capacity.
Principal Loshaw emphasizes: “I am excited to work with both of these students this year. Having input from our student body is invaluable and I look forward to learning from them on how we can continue to be solution oriented for all of our students in the building.”
District Administrator Jim Schmitt added, “Sariah and Ryker are high-achieving students who care for their school and community. In our first meetings, they have demonstrated a strong understanding of their roles and how they can serve to positively impact Belleville High School. I look forward to seeing their work throughout this school year.”
