Student liaisons help bridge gap with Mt. Pleasant school board
Mt. Pleasant Area High School students Chelsie Rimel and Mark Polcha have been chosen as student liaisons to the school board.
Each school year, two students are selected to attend the monthly board meetings and relay any concerns or questions from the student body.
"They were selected based on superior academic performance, involvement in school activities — extracurricular and athletic — maturity and responsibility, and outstanding character," said high school Principal Ken Williams.
Rimel, 17, is the captain of majorettes, captain of the Mock Trial Team, Quiz Team co-captain and yearbook editor. Rimel is a member of SADD, Interact, Gamma Omega and the Heart to Heart Club.
"I was ecstatic upon finding out I was chosen for the position because the principals choose the representatives," Rimel said. "It is a great feeling to know that Dr. Williams, Mr. (Don) Campbell, and Mr. (Robert) Gumbita think highly of me to award me this position. I am very thankful. I am very proud to say that I am student representative to the school board. It is not something that just anyone can do."
"I feel it is important to have representatives to have the voice of the students in the school board setting," Rimel said. "We attend school regularly. We are constantly in the school environment, therefore we know the students' opinions and can relay that to the board. I hope in the next year we can have a positive influence for student life at Mt. Pleasant."
Polcha, 17, is a member of the National Honor Society, Gamma Omega, Varsity Quiz Team as co-captain and TV Quiz Team.
Polcha is a member of the math club, ping pong club, varsity in-line hockey team and volunteers with the Relay for Life.
Polcha was pleased to be asked to join the board as a student representative and realizes the importance of the students having a say with the district.
"I was extremely honored to receive the position of student representative because only a single boy and girl are awarded the position," Polcha said. "I feel the student reps are highly important because it allows for the student body to be directly connected to the board of directors. Over the next year I hope to voice students' opinions to the school board members while also relaying the school board's views back to the students to please both sides."
Rimel is the daughter of Shelly and Carl Rimel of Mt. Pleasant and hopes to attend Penn State to major in English and minor in pre-law. Rimel hopes to one day attend law school in Massachusetts.
Polcha is the son of Linda and Ed Polcha of Helca and hopes to attend college to possibly major in actuarial science or astrophysics at Robert Morris University or the Florida Institute of Technology.
