Two finalists for the next Student Member of the Board in Howard County were chosen during the Howard County Association of Student Councils SMOB convention, sending them to the final election on April 30.

The two students, Erin Alistar, a River Hill High School junior, and Jeremy Wong, a Reservoir High School junior, were elected by their peers out of 13 candidates during the Howard County Association of Student Councils Convention on March 19, according to the Howard County Public School System website. After an application process, each high school sends six delegates to the convention, and each middle school sends three, bringing the total to 138 students this year.

The vote on April 30 will be open to all sixth- through 11th-grade students in the district during the school day. Schools will make time throughout the day for students to cast their vote on the Canvas online education platform, according to the district.

Granted voting power except for budget, personnel or other restricted matters, the student member will begin their term once they are sworn in during the summer.

“As much as we’d like to keep James Obasiolu around for as long as we can, I’m excited for him and eager for him to begin the next exciting chapter of his life,” Howard County Superintendent Bill Barnes said during the March 27 Board of Education meeting.

As the current SMOB, Obasiolu will finish out his term as a senior at Atholton High before heading to Harvard University as a member of the Class of 2029, which he announced during a Jan. 30 board meeting. Obasiolu was the HCASC vice president, Atholton High’s representative to the Board of Education and an executive officer in the district’s Junior ROTC program, according to the school system’s website.

Serving as a Student Member of the Board provides “a deep sense of the responsibility to those you represent, and it’s the honor of a lifetime to be able to represent students in this position,” Obasiolu said during the March 27 board meeting.

The selection process for the student member is unique in Howard County, Obasiolu said, teaching students about democracy while they get to experience it firsthand. The convention fostered passionate discussion and debate from students with different backgrounds as they debated candidate platforms and ideas, he said.

“And I think in today’s somewhat divided world, these young leaders, my fellow young leaders who I’m honored to call my fellow colleagues and fellow students in this county, showed that we can approach differences with curiosity instead of conflict,” Obasiolu said.

Alistar serves as HCASC president, and Wong is the first vice president of the Reservoir High Student Government Association, according to his Instagram account. Both candidates have posted on the social media platform seeking students to join their campaigns for student board member.

While the HCASC adviser and school system staff provide guidance, student leaders in the organization facilitate and administer the campaign and election process. According to the HCASC Instagram page, a SMOB candidate forum will be held with Alistar and Wong on April 23 at Atholton High.

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