Jasmine Martin, a rising Cleveland High School senior, will be student liaison on the Cleveland Board of Education.CLEVELAND, Tenn. - The Cleveland Board of Education has a new member.
Jasmine Martin is a rising Cleveland High School senior, and she will be the student liaison, a nonvoting member of the board for a year, beginning in August.
The board approved her appointment Monday.
Martin was one of seven students who went through a rigorous student petition campaign, a written essay and teacher interviews.
"I feel like this is a huge opportunity I have been given to use my voice," she said.
She said two agenda items before the board Monday especially caught her attention. The board approved an enhanced list of college preparatory courses and for students to take the Advanced Placement test at no cost.
Cleveland Schools Director Martin Ringstaff said the city high school is seeking out students for advanced classes who may not traditionally have considered them, including minorities and those from low-income families.
Cleveland High has 202 Advanced Placement students now, up from 170 last year.
Martin said she also is interested in a proposal to form a focus group of citizens to raise money and pay for installing artificial turf at Cleveland High's Benny Monroe Stadium.
"I am here to ask for the board's blessing and not to ask for money," Dr. Mike Massey said.
He said he and other private citizens will seek funding from school boosters, grants and the community at large for the funds to install a type of artificial turf with the feel and texture of grass but without the maintenance.
Massey said many factors could influence the cost that could range from $350,000 to $750,000.
Martin is the board's first student representative. She will have a seat at the board table in future meetings.
Board member Dawn Robinson is loaning her the information package for new member orientation, something all board members read.
"This is new for us as well," Robinson said.