During Thursday’s meeting, officials with Christian County Public Schools announced Ty’Jairria Johnson and Carly Chaudoin as the two student-elected representatives chosen for service on the CCPS Board of Education.
The duo were elected by peers at their respective high schools, with Johnson and Chaudoin now in line to attend monthly meetings, official gatherings and events — while being responsible for board presentations and Q&A’s with board members during meetings.
The students will serve as ballasts between the voice of the class and the leadership from the board, and remain as non-voting members who will not participate in closed-session meetings.
Chris Bentzel, CCPS superintendent, noted the board is “overjoyed” to welcome these two young women to the board and its endeavors, because students are stakeholders who offer “extremely important and incorporative” perspectives needed for the decision-making process.
Johnson is a senior at Christian County, and the daughter of Tierra Chester and Anthony Johnson. An active member of Student Council, the Superintendent Advisory Council and the Minority Student Union, she’s involved with many student clubs, is a manager for the Colonel football and basketball teams, and plans to attend Tuskegee University majoring in biology for pre-med.
She’s also currently an employee of Christian Care Communities as a co-op student.
Chaudoin is a senior at Hopkinsville, and the daughter of Bill and Brenda Chaudoin. She’s an active member of Student Voice Committee, Student Council, the Superintendent Advisory Council, KYA and several other clubs and organizations. She’s a four-year member of the Lady Tigers volleyball squad, and plans to seek a degree in service to others — which could be ministry, administration, education, non-profit leadership, or some mix of it all.
CCPS is one of just 15 districts in the Commonwealth using student representation for its board makeup. Johnson and Chaudoin will be sworn in November 17, and will serve out until graduation in 2023.
