Faith Mekonen, a senior at South County High School, has started her one-year term as the Student Representative to the Fairfax County School Board. In this role, she will participate in meetings as a nonvoting member, succeeding Megan Sawant from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Mekonen is the 55th student to hold this position.
Mekonen’s primary goals include addressing discipline disproportionality, enhancing student involvement in policy decisions, and implementing revised grading and cell phone policies.
“One issue that stands out is the ongoing debate over FCPS’s grading policy, particularly regarding retakes and consistency across classrooms. While the policy was designed to promote equity and mastery-based learning, some teachers feel it limits their ability to grade effectively, and some students find it either too lenient or too restrictive. As a member of the Grading Standardization Advisory Committee, I have already been working on addressing these concerns by collaborating with educators, administrators, and students to ensure the policy is fair, effective, and truly supports learning,” Mekonen stated.
She continued: “I plan to engage with students and get their feedback through a variety of methods. I’d like to utilize social media platforms and the Student Representative newsletter to share updates and gather student input regularly through surveys or other methods. As a member of SAC for the past two years, I will use my experience to continue to gather their feedback and bring their perspectives to the school board. I believe that student voice is key for a successful school district, and I will use my position to amplify their voices in decisions that directly impact their education and well-being.”
Mekonen has held several leadership roles including Vice President of her school’s Ethiopian & Eritrean Association; Secretary of Model UN; U.S Department of Education Youth Advisor; Harvard STRIPED Youth Policy Translator; participant in the FCPS School Board Student Leadership Development Program; State Finalist for Technology Student Association (Forensics); Civics Unplugged Fellow; Policy Researcher for The Perrin Institution; contributor for Los Angeles Times High School Insider; and Voters of Tomorrow Virginia Legislative Director.
For further details, visit Faith Mekonen’s official webpage.
