Two Brookhaven High School students are among the 10 semifinalists for the Mississippi State Board of Education junior student representative program in the 2024-2025 school year.

The SBE student representative program includes one high school junior and one high school senior who will serve as non-voting SBE members, and provide input on policy decisions that affect Mississippi’s public schools.

The current junior SBE rep, Kate Riddle of Lafayette High, will serve as the senior rep in 2024-2025. The eligible applicant pool for the rising junior rep included 33 students, and has been narrowed to 10.

Student reps are responsible for attending monthly SBE meetings and any standing commit-tees or subcommittees to which they are assigned. Student reps are excused from school to attend these meetings as official school business. 

The SBE adopted a policy in 2018 outlining the criteria for adding student representatives to the State Board. Semifinalists will be interviewed, and up to four finalists will be named. The SBE will interview those finalists and one rising junior will be appointed.

The two Brookhaven semifinalists are Jaiden Hardy and Kennedy Powell.