District News
Student representative to join Seattle School Board at Oct. 3 meeting
The Seattle School Board will have a new face Wednesday night, Oct. 3 as Dexter Tang takes his seat as the Student Senate representative to the School Board.
Tang, left photo, is a senior at Roosevelt High School who serves as president of the Seattle Student Senate, a citywide student advocacy organization for Seattle Public Schools.
The School Board’s executive committee decided to appoint a student representative earlier this year in an effort to give students a voice in Board discussions. While Tang won’t be a voting member, he will be able to participate in any discussion related to issues that have come before the Student Senate. He will also have two minutes near the beginning of the Board meeting agenda to provide comments gathered from other Student Senate members.
Tang’s term will run for the entire 2012-13 school year, although in future years more than one student might be appointed and rotate on a monthly basis.
“I am delighted to welcome Dexter to the School Board and I look forward to the insights he will bring as a student member,” said Seattle School Board President Michael DeBell. “The board is committed to providing this representation so that student ideas and opinions are heard.”
Tang, who has spent his entire high school career in student government, is also the founder and chairman of the Roosevelt High School District Policy Review Committee, formed so that students can present their views on district policy.
He also served as President and Managing Director of Youth for Youth Ventures, a nonprofit charity company formed to invest in underdeveloped and under-recognized local youth-based nonprofits, and is current chairman of the Tang, Kang, Katz & Co. Investment Group, a group of close friends who have created and are managing their own investment portfolio.
"I'm very excited to be a part of the Seattle School Board,” Tang said. “By having a student serve on the Board, I hope that we can expand student views and representation on a variety of issues, namely ones that directly affect student experience and achievement at schools. Along with the Seattle Student Senate, I am looking forward to working with Seattle Public Schools to better the education of the students in our city."
Tang hopes to attend an out-of-state college and work first in finance or investment banking, followed by a career in public service.
The Seattle School Board meets the first and third Wednesday of the month, starting at 4:15 p.m. You can attend a meeting in person in the auditorium of the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence, 2445 3rd Ave. South, watch on cable Channel 26, or Stream Live School Board Meetings (during meeting times).
An archive of previously recorded School Board meetings is also available on the Seattle Channel. http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/watchVideos.asp?program=schools