Two Fayette students tapped for state council

Two Fayette County students are among the 64 Georgia students selected by State School Superintendent Richard Woods to serve on his 2015 Student Advisory Council.

Harley Obsitnik of McIntosh High School and Joseph Hunter of Flat Rock Middle School were selected from a pool of more than 1,000 students who applied to serve on the council. Students were chosen based on the strength of their essay answers, which focused on their ideas for public education and ways their own educational experience could be improved.

“It was hard to narrow down the many outstanding applications, but it was refreshing and valuable to read these students’ feedback and ideas for the future of our educational system,” Woods said.

The students will meet with Woods throughout the year to discuss the impact of state policies in the classroom. Members of the Student Advisory Council will also discuss other issues related to education, and will serve as the superintendent’s ambassadors to their own schools.

“It is essential, as we work to develop child-focused, classroom-centered policies, to hear directly from students,” Woods said. “These students feel the impact of our decisions every day and, if we’re going to improve their educational experience, we have to bring them to the table.”

Meetings of the Student Advisory Council will be held Feb. 27, March 11 and April 28 at the Georgia Department of Education offices in Atlanta.