5th Grade Student Council meets with Jal School Board

By John Earp

At the November 18th meeting of the Jal Board of Education, the newly elected 5th Grade Student Council was presented and had the opportunity to interact with the school board members and staff present at the meeting. School Board President Jim Gooss, Board Secretary Jaime Earp, and Vice President Amy Crawford were present, barely making a quorum. Board members Rene Cervantes and Randy Chavez were absent from the meeting.

Principal Karen Komar began by introducing Mrs. Erika Martinez, the sponsor for the Jal Elementary School 5th grade student council. President of the Council was Preslie Norton, who described her job as planning and conducting meetings, working hard to keep the members active and involved by representing ideas, helping with events and projects, participating in discussions, voting and sharing ideas, working with the sponsor, officers, and with the principal. Damian Zamora serves as vice president, Juliana Flores serves as secretary, Holland Cook as treasurer, Dominiq Campos as historian, Emery Navarrette as historian assistant, and Noah Garibay as greeter. Preslie mentioned that the council is currently working on a blanket and sock drive sponsored by Cole’s Diner. The class with the most donations will receive a pizza party and the class with the second most donations will receive an ice cream party. Future projects planned for the council include a school dance, bake sale, making a buddy bench, which is a place where students can sit when they have no one to play with or feel lonely, with student council members asking them to play. Another project being considered is a community movie night at the Jal Lake. “We have put this committee together for the future kids to have a better school.