Michellel Jones named junior rep for Charles City school board

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Michellel Jones said she feels passionate about making sure everyone feels equal to everyone else.

Jones was unanimously approved and sworn in Monday as the Charles City School District Board of Directors junior student representative.

“I think everyone — not just people of color, but everyone — should be in an environment where they feel safe and comfortable,” Jones told the other school board members. “I know how it feels to not be in a safe and comfortable environment, and it’s not a nice feeling, when you don’t feel like you belong.

“It’s hard to learn in school when you don’t fit in and feel like you belong there,” she said.

Student board members serve through May, and are eligible to participate in discussion at all regular board meetings held in open session. The student board member is a non-voting position, and the student representatives are responsible for communicating board decisions and information to the student body.

In years past, Charles City has just had one student board member, but last year the district decided to have one for the senior class and one for the junior class. Cael Ruzicka is the senior member this year, and served as the junior member last year.

Jones said she hopes to provide a voice for the students who are voiceless.

“There are things that adults don’t see, and that teachers don’t hear — things that are said in hallways, horrible things that happen,” she said. “Those are things that need to be talked about, and I’m here to talk about it.”

Jones is the CCHS junior class president, serves on the student council, is part of the prom and homecoming committees and is a manager for the varsity boys basketball team — where she helps manage the team’s Instagram and Twitter pages. She also has participated in track and field, but has decided to play tennis this spring.

She also co-wrote a Community Notes article which recently appeared in the Charles City Press, which included information about the district’s CNA class and about the Comet Store, among other items.

CCSD Superintendent of Schools Mike Fisher approached Jones about the student board position after receiving several recommendations from teachers, students and CCHS Principal Brian Jurrens.

“Michellel has distinguished herself as a leader in many ways,” Fisher said. “She is a warrior for social justice and equity, she is a voice for other students and she is a very intelligent and beautiful person.”

Her mother is Starria Brown, and Jones has two younger siblings, one in grade school and one a freshman. She also has an older brother, who was a part of the graduating class of 2020.

Jones said she would like to attend the University of Iowa after she graduates CCHS, and has “aspired to be a Hawkeye” since her freshman year. She said that, as of now, she would like to major in psychology and become a school counselor and certified therapist.

Jones said that no student is perfect, and she hopes to be a voice for students who are struggling.

“I’d like to bring the opinions and beliefs of people who might not be perfect to the board,” she said. “There are students who come from different places and have different beliefs in lots of things, and I would like to voice their ideas.”

Jones said she would like to bring up aspects of school life that the board “might not be comfortable with, or as familiar with.”

“First and foremost, I believe that every person has a right to life and every single life means as much as every other life,” Jones said. “I believe in equality, and I believe in the rights of all people — no matter what color, gender or sexuality — I believe that everybody’s equal.”