Meet a 2024-25 Student Delegate: Lavanya Shankar of River Ridge High School!

Student voice matters in CCSD!  Each year, every high school selects a Student Delegate to the School Board to represent their peers and provide valuable insight to the district’s governance team.  In addition to the Delegates participating in School Board meetings, Superintendent of Schools Mary Elizabeth Davis meets with the group throughout the year to listen for insights to develop plans for district and school improvement.  Learn more about our River Ridge HS delegate.  #CCSDElevateTheExcellence

Why did you want to serve as a student delegate to the School Board?

I wanted to serve in order to give back to my community and contribute to policies that help the students around me. I have been in Cherokee County since I was in kindergarten, and as such, being a student delegate gave me the chance to continue to promote ideas that could help students and add to the positive environment of our school district. Serving has also helped me learn so much about how our school district works, and the effort that is put into the safety and security of students. With all this combined, I was excited to serve, and to provide my opinions on the plans that continue to make our schools excellent.

What have you learned from the experience so far?

I have learned so much from the experience as a Student Delegate, such as the resources our county provides for students, the thought and consideration that goes into the safety and security of students, and the way the county continues to improve student success. After watching the School Board discuss safety and security, I got to see how each policy instated makes a difference on how the students are taken care of and learned how important every detail can be. Being a student Delegate has allowed me to explore the importance of decision making and improvement.

What do you feel makes a good leader?

I feel compassion, initiative, and open mindedness are traits that make a good leader. A leader should be able to take initiative when needed and make changes that can improve the world around them. They should be open to new ideas and strategies and collaborate well with others to grow over time. Ultimately, however, a good leader is compassionate and cares deeply about what they are doing, which leads them to being the best leader possible.

What do you like most about your school?

River Ridge is a wonderful high school, through the efforts of administrators to ensure student success, the passion of teachers in the subjects they teach, and the way that every success of each student is promoted. I like how each week, we get a newsletter on the success of every club and student and continue to be encouraged to achieve. These contributions encourage school spirit and pride and are aspects I enjoy the most about my high school.