Our Student Advisory Board

STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD

We would like to know what's important to our students!

Our Student Advisory Board is a vital part of the Education Foundation, giving students across our District a voice.
With representatives from each high school, students are given opportunities to make connections across the District, take on leadership roles, and get involved in the work of the Education Foundation.
Our enthusiastic and dedicated volunteers act as ambassadors for the Education Foundation: they play a crucial role in helping spread the word about the Foundation's work, and help at various events throughout the year
(e.g. College Fairs, Career Expos, Back to School Nights, and the State of the District Evening).
In addition, we encourage our SAB members to take an active role in helping us determine our funding priorities - whether it's by helping to judge the Student Empathy Grants, or letting us know what issues are important on each campus.

MEET OUR STUDENTS!

KOMI (ko-mee) - Chairperson, Prospect High School

"Hello, my name is Komi Sugimoto! I will be serving as the 2020-2021 Chairperson of the Student Advisory Board.
I decided to join the Board in my sophomore year because I wanted to be a stronger voice for Prospect High School, beyond its own campus.

One thing I enjoy the most from being a part of this foundation is getting to work with students from other schools that have the same passions and goals as me. Ever since joining this foundation, I have been able to learn more about what the district does for our schools, as well as getting to make connections with professionals who are dedicated to helping me achieve my goals for this district.

I am very excited to lead the next generations of student leaders!"

AALIYAH (ah-lee-yah) - Vice Chairperson, Leigh High School

"I wanted to join the SAB because I wanted to help the school community and expand on what it has to offer. What I enjoy most about the SAB is working on projects that I know will make a difference like our empathy grants. What I get out of it is a family who supports each other and a happier district!"

EMILY (eh-mi-lee) - Secretary, Westmont High School

"Hello! My name is Emily Choi, and I am currently a Senior at Westmont High School. As an English Learner, I had unique experiences and gained a deeper understanding of the different group's needs. Thus, I always wanted to use my background to help my community and serve as a bridge between diverse student groups and the CUHSD district. Since my sophomore year, I have had the honor to join the Education Foundation’s efforts in bringing more enriching learning experiences to my school community by being a part of the Student Advisory Board (SAB). SAB has not only helped me meet young, like-minded individuals across the district but also enlightened me with my potential to raise the student’s voice. Certainly, my experience in this foundation served as a cornerstone for me to get more involved in my community and grow as a student leader.

Now, I love being an active part of my community on and off the school campus: I am currently serving as the CUHSD student superintendent advisory council, Los Gatos Youth Commissioner, president of the art club, Korean School Volunteer Team Vice-Chair, and more. Through my immense dedication to various leadership activities, I hope to contribute to implementing a new policy benefitting my community and providing more equitable opportunities for everyone!"

KIMBERLY (kim-ber-ly) - Representative, Branham High School

"Hello! My name is Kimberly Coke and I am a Senior from Branham currently in the College Advantage program. I joined the SAB because I wanted to help make a difference in my school and use my voice for good. I love working with the other members and hearing things from their perspective. My experience on SAB has been so rewarding."

LILIA (lih-lee-ah) - Representative, Branham High School

Lilia is a Senior at Branham High School. She decided to join the SAB to advocate for students with IEPs and mental health issues. She also joined to make CUHSD campuses more welcoming and comfortable, as well as ensuring the success of our students.

GABRIELA (gah-bree-eh-lah) - Representative, Leigh High School

"Hello, my name is Gabriela Grishashvili. I am currently a member of the CUHSD EF Student Advisory Board.

I joined the board my junior year of high school to represent Leigh and have a voice for all the students at my school. Being a part of the board has helped me see the behind the scenes of every school and district. I got to work on projects I've never worked on before like the Empathy Grants. I have loved being a part of this amazing team. I am very excited to be a part of this board for my final year as a student!"

SOPHIA (so-fee-ah) - Representative, Leigh High School

"Hi! My name is Sophia Sullivan and I am apart of Leigh High School and the West Valley Middle College Program. I joined the Education Foundation Student Advisory Board when I was a sophomore in high school and now I am currently a senior. I joined the Student Advisory Board because I wanted to have a voice in the decisions that were being made for my own school as well as the rest of the schools in the CUHSD. I love being involved in this community of students who are passionate about improving our schools and who are willing to contribute their time to inspire empathy in our peers."

DOMINIQUE GARCILAZO (do-mee-neeque) - Del Mar High School

I’m happy to be a part of the Student Advisory Board!

LOEGAN SUMI (loh-gin) - Del Mar High School

Hello, my name is Loegan Sumi. I am currently a junior at Del Mar. On-campus, I am an IB diploma candidate, a member of ASB, the Asian Pacific-Islander Student Union, and the girls’ volleyball team. I am also the president of the National Honor Society chapter and vice president of Spanish Conversational. I love being involved and active in my community and hope to leave a positive impact by making people feel more connected and heard. For this is the reason why I joined the SAB as it is an amazing opportunity to give students a voice and represent their school. I believe voicing students’ perspectives is critical in addition to taking responsibility for our education by utilizing our potential of learning and understanding to strive for excellence. I look forward to becoming part of the family the SAB has created and will do my best to contribute to the district.

SEBASTIAN (sea-bass-chin) - Prospect High School

Hello! My name is Sebastian Pape and I am a junior at Prospect High School. This is my first year on the student advisory board and I am really looking forward to helping my school community and meeting new people. I am involved in many on-campus groups like ASB, Interact, Mock Trial, and more and I can't wait to make the best of this year despite our online situation.

SREENIDHI (sree-ni-thee) - Prospect High School

Hi! I'm Sreenidhi! :) I joined the SAB to initiate more discussions about mental health beyond the Prospect High School Community! Additionally, I want to make sure that underrepresented groups on our campuses are recognized, and every student gets the support they need to succeed!

LAVANIKA (luh-VAH-ni-kuh) - Westmont High School

Hello CUHSD Community! My name is Lavanika Sharma! I enjoy being an active member of our community and enjoy playing sports, singing, and dancing as well. I am also a co-founder of a new CUHSD club, Inventavation focused on promoting important management and STEM skills! Moreover, I am extremely honored to serve as a student board member for the Education Foundation. This is an experience that I am excited and passionate about and I hope that I can turn this opportunity into tangible and necessary change!