The Sanford School Committee welcomed its two new student representatives, SHS juniors Matthew Melvin and Zachary Moores, bringing fresh voices and ideas to the table.
Alongside current student representative, senior Elsie Gendron, these students help the committee make important contributions to their school community.
For Zachary Moores, the motivation to become a student representative stems from the desire to empower his peers.
When asked about his reasons for joining, Moores explained, "I wanted to give students the choice to voice their opinion to the school committee if they feel nervous."
Moore brings valuable skills to his new role, including strong communication abilities and the confidence to share his opinions. Reflecting on his strengths, he stated, "I tend to voice my opinion on things. This is important because you need to be able to communicate. I'm a great communicator."
Matthew Melvin, a three-sport athlete, brings experience from his involvement in Sanford High School's student government and class leadership.
When discussing his decision to join the School Committee, Melvin shared his motivations: "I wanted to join the School Committee for multiple reasons. First, so I can make a positive contribution to the community. I also wanted to give a voice to the teachers and students around me.”
Melvin and Moores are joining Elsie Gendron, who has been a student representative since fall of 2023. Her journey to the school committee was driven by a desire to find her voice in the community and stand up for her peers. Over her tenure, Gendron has noted improvement in her public speaking and summarization skills.
Drawing from her experience, she offered wisdom for the new student representatives: "My biggest piece of advice would just be to learn what you can," Gendron emphasized. "It's a very cool opportunity to see the inner workings of something we otherwise may not get the chance to see."