6 Tucson Students Chosen For AZ Student Advisory Council

TUCSON, AZ — Six Tucson students have been named to a student advisory board to help improve education in the state of Arizona.

The students were chosen for the second cohort of the council by Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman, who created it, according to a news release from the Arizona Department of Education.

“Students are the ones who are often times most impacted by decisions made by the Department and policy makers in the state,” Hoffman said in a statement. “By actively engaging with students, I am able to elevate their voices as we consider policy changes and bring their perspectives to critical areas of education policies and procedures.”

Eighth grader Isabella Alvarez, ninth grader Jenine Annett, 12th grader Elena Durazo and eighth grader Jade Leon were all chosen to represent Tucson schools on the council.

The student advisory council will serve for the 2020-21 school year and advise on topics that will benefit K-12 education in the state. The students will meet with Hoffman and other Arizona officials on a quarterly basis to discuss issues related to academics, technology, school safety and provide feedback on how schools have handled the coronavirus pandemic, the department said.

Additionally, students were chosen to serve on the African American Advisory Council, Latinx Advisory Council, Indian Education Advisory Council and the Equitable and Inclusive Practices Advisory Council. The students will serve alongside teachers, business leaders and community members, though none from Tucson were appointed.

Arizona school have faced many challenges amid the pandemic, with the Tucson Unified School District only recently approving a plan to begin hybrid learning and some temporarily closing due to positive cases with a limited number of students on campus.