In the past, WCHS has sent countless students to attend the SMOB Nominating Convention; this year was no exception. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, WCHS sent eleven delegates and one Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) candidate to Watkins Mill High School to participate in the SMOB Nominating Convention. At the convention, delegates from middle and high schools across MCPS voted to choose the two SMOB finalists, who will advance to the general election in April. WCHS junior Arianna Raney was one of eight SMOB candidates and freshman class president Ishveer Sethi was one of eleven WCHS delegates.
“There were eight candidates at the start before the preliminary vote,” Sethi said. “We got to hear their three-to-five-minute speech on what they were going to do, they answered questions about who they are, and presented slides outlining their goals. It was very interesting to hear what each person brought to the table.”
Following the speeches, delegates participated in a preliminary vote to narrow the top eight candidates to four finalists. The four finalists included WCHS’ Raney, Richard Montgomery High School sophomore Karmaan Saxena, Northwood High School sophomore Leul Dawit, and Walter Johnson High School junior Reemey Ghermay. The voting process required delegates to carefully assess each candidate’s platform and leadership style before submitting their votes. After the finalists were announced, they participated in an interactive rapid-fire Q&A session led by Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association President Hali Doung and Montgomery County Junior Council President Issac Williams.
“After the four spoke during their Q&A, taking about 30 minutes, we did our second vote,” Sethi said. “During the second vote, we had a voting screen of first choice, second choice and third choice. After the vote, we all got dismissed for lunch. During lunch, around 1 p.m., they announced the two finalists: Leul Dawit and Reemey Ghermay.”
Raney advanced as a candidate in the final four following the preliminary votes. She represented WCHS among a highly competitive group of MCPS SMOB candidates. Raney’s inspiration to run originates from a deep passion for advocacy, including an internship with U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) and her love of authentic connections with her peers. She views the SMOB as a bridge between the voices of over 160,000 students and the Board of Education.
“[MCPS] is one of three districts in Maryland that has the SMOB with full voting rights on the Board of Education,” Raney said. “The fact that students can have that much of an impact and a voice that normally only adults would be able to have is something that inspired me.”
Raney devoted countless hours of hard work leading up to the convention. She attended multiple meetings about the responsibilities of the SMOB and the nomination process. She also completed a voter guide, which required candidates to submit a photo, write about their personal background and answer basic questions about themselves and their goals if elected. She prepped for the convention by writing a speech, practicing Q&As with artificial intelligence, creating a slideshow presentation and setting up an Instagram account for campaigning. Balancing preparation for the convention with academics and extracurricular activities required significant time management and dedication.
“Managing everything was stressful,” Raney said. “Managing school with campaigning and the other things I do, it’s become a lot. For example, the week before [the nominating convention], I didn’t go to bed before midnight. It is a lot of work.”
The SMOB serves with full voting rights on the Board of Education, representing students from all over MCPS. Because of this, the SMOB is one of the most influential student leadership positions in the state. The Nominating Convention played a key role in elections by narrowing down the eight candidates to the final two. On Apr. 22, students will vote for either Dawit or Ghermay.
“It is underrated how much a SMOB can actually do,” Sethi said. “The SMOB receives student input from 160,000 students. The SMOB then takes that input to the Board of Education, whether it be concerns about issues, school safety or snow days.”
As election day approaches, delegates and candidates emphasize the importance of voting for the candidate who best represents their interests. The upcoming election provides an opportunity for students to decide how their voices will be heard. Student participation in the election directly influences decisions that impact daily life in MCPS, whether it be the issues such as locked bathrooms or student mental health.
“At the end of the day, the decisions being made are going to affect you,” Raney said. “Having a say in those decisions is really important. A lot of students complain about issues in schools and the SMOB is one of the main ways they can fix them.”
