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New board liaison Stewart seeks to act as students’ voice
Jhanae Stewart didn’t attend Poughkeepsie Middle School or a district elementary school.
A native of Jamaica, she moved to Poughkeepsie to live with her mother early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, she plans to visit the schools to get to know what the student experience is like. As student liaison to the Board of Education, she said, it’s crucial to hear their voices to speak for all students in the district, not just the high school.
“It’s important just to get the student perspective out there,” the Poughkeepsie High School senior said of the role. “I think, oftentimes, adults cannot put their feet in the children’s shoes to know how they feel.
“I feel like even hearing that from someone who is of that age group, it goes a long way,” she said.
Stewart attended her first meeting Tuesday after being appointed in July. Her first comments included thanking the district for its overhaul of the high school’s cafeteria and letting the board know students have recognized other improvements, like bathroom renovations. Several board members responded by reminding her not to be shy in advocating for the students, even if that means bringing up unpleasant subjects.
That won’t be a problem, Stewart said Friday morning. While she felt the board should hear how much the student body appreciates the new cafeteria – “I felt like they listened to us for once” – and admittedly wanted to “test the waters” initially, she said she’ll make waves when needed. That’s in line with advice from 2024 graduate Peter Sealy, last year’s board liaison, who she likened to a brother. He, she said, was her initial inspiration “to get out there more and be a voice for people. A lot of times, students’ concerns aren’t acknowledged.”
The student liaisons are given time at each board meeting to communicate any issues or comments the student body may have. Topping the list of subjects she plans to speak up on are safety – she said she’s seen unpermitted objects like lighters make it into the school – and continued building renovations.
Not just the student’s liaison to the board, though, Stewart also plans to be the board’s liaison to the students. While she said some students do attend board meetings – often as an assignment in government classes – she said students don’t always see the efforts made by school leadership.
“They’re trying to get more aides for kids in need,” she said, citing an example from Tuesday’s meeting. “They’re holding job fairs. They’re hiring people on the spot so they can get some help. Maybe the students need to pay more attention.”
Stewart, who this year is taking four Dutchess Community College dual enrollment classes, is a member of the National Honor Society, the Pioneer Post student newspaper, and Sister 2 Sister, and is a sprinter for the track and field team. She has a love of English and history; her interest in learning about the American Revolution was sparked by Broadway’s “Hamilton,” and she’s also keen to learn more about Caribbean history.
She aims to be a journalist, after studying journalism and political science in college. She has a list of several possible schools to attend, including George Mason, Hoard and NYU, among others.
“My main goal is to maybe open my own publication agency someday,” she said, “where I’m the CEO, I’m the boss, I’m the founder.”