There were tears, hugs and smiles last Wednesday in a final goodbye expressed to a fixture at the school district boardroom for the last three years.
Zach Johnson, the Central Okanagan School District student council co-president, made his final appearance at a school board meeting last week with his graduation this month from 脡cole Kelowna Senior Secondary.
Since September 2020, Johnson has been the voice representing the student council at a board of education and committee meetings, a participating symbol of Central Okanagan Public Schoolssa国际传媒� philosophy to involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process, in particular students.
In his role with the student council, Johnson has been given an inside look at how that process unfolds and to develop working relationships with school trustees and senior staff.
sa国际传媒淭here is a lot that goes into decisions that are made behind the scenes which most people donsa国际传媒檛 see so I have appreciated being a part of that,sa国际传媒� Johnson said.
sa国际传媒淚 have seen the school district be committed to creating an inclusive environment for all students and stay strong to that. They deserve applause for that especially when parents at times have pushed back otherwise.sa国际传媒�
And his enthusiastic personality has rubbed off on others at the school administrative headquarters, as was evident at the meeting.
An emotional board of education chair Lee-Ann Tiede expressed her appreciation for Johnsonsa国际传媒檚 contribution to the school district and also cited on a personal level what she has learned from his perspective on education issues.
sa国际传媒淗e is the hardest-working person in this school district,sa国际传媒� Tiede said.
Valene Johnson, Zachsa国际传媒檚 mom who was elected as a Kelowna trustee last fall, said she has cherished the time she and her son have spent together at school board meetings these past eight months.
sa国际传媒淚t was definitely an enjoyable meeting and I appreciated the comments that were expressed to me. Everyone knew it was my last meeting but was still a surprise what (Lee-Ann Tiede) and others had to say,sa国际传媒� Johnson reflected on last Thursday in an interview with the Capital News.
Johnson said he tried to develop a working relationship with all trustees and administrative staff while standing firm as an advocate for studentssa国际传媒� issues.
sa国际传媒淚 did not want to shy away from that,sa国际传媒� Johnson said of his advocacy role.
sa国际传媒淭o their credit, the trustees and staff were always willing to listen to what I had to say, to hear the perspective of students.
sa国际传媒淲hen I think back on it now, a lot has changed since I started in September 2020sa国际传媒nd I greatly appreciate the opportunity to make an impact here and there over that time.sa国际传媒�
He cites issues such as reviewing school catchment areas on the Westside and the Mission, and the prospect of moving Westside French Immersion students to an already overcrowded Mount Boucherie Secondary as debates where students needed to have a voice.
sa国际传媒淲hen it comes to school openings and closings, CUPE and CODA (Central Okanagan Teachers Association) always have their say in that, but students are also an essential part of those conversations.sa国际传媒�
The political bug extended beyond the school district boardroom for Johnson as he also participated in the B.C. Youth Parliament held at the B.C. Legislature in December 2022.
He says that experience gave him the opportunity to meet with other students from across the province, particularly those serving in student advocacy roles like him.
sa国际传媒淚t was a fascinating experience to learn from other people from around B.C., particularly from those who had similar roles to me and how that worked in other school districts.sa国际传媒�
Johnsonsa国际传媒檚 matriculation in the Central Okanagan school system has led him from beginning in French Immersion starting at kindergarten at Belgo Elementary and on to KLO Middle and then KSS, and education will continue to play a part in his future career aspirations.
After working this summer at a Tim Hortons youth summer camp in Kananaskis, Alberta, he is enrolled to begin his post-secondary studies at Okanagan College for two years, moving on to UBC in Vancouver and then returning to UBC Okanagan to achieve his bachelor of education degree.
sa国际传媒淢y career goal is to go into education and become a teacher. I think being involved in school board meetings has opened my eyes to what public education is all about, and it is not always just what we see in the classroom as students.
sa国际传媒淎s students, we just view education from what happens in class between 9 and 3sa国际传媒ut I have learned how it is so much more than that.sa国际传媒�
Johnson says graduating from KSS is a tad bittersweet because he so loved his experience there, saying his ultimate goal would be to come back to the school down the road as a teacher.
sa国际传媒淚 love that school with my whole heart,sa国际传媒� he said.
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