ABOVE: Fairmont High School students, Emma Pockrus, Bel Lutterman and Wendy Medina Ambrosio, have been introduced as the 2025-2026 student school board members. The three students will accompany the Fairmont School Board and represent the student body in forthcoming school board meetings at the Fairmont Elementary School.

FAIRMONT — Introduced as 2025-2026 student school board members, Fairmont High School (FHS) junior Emma Pockrus, senior Wendy Medina Ambrosio and senior Bel Lutterman aim to raise the volume of peer voices amid Fairmont Area Schools’ endeavors to enrich the student experience. The three students will represent the student body in forthcoming meetings with the Fairmont School Board.

“I think it’s very cool that our board has this option because we’re the ones directly experiencing school, obviously, so having a voice and being able to represent the whole school is very, very helpful,” Pockrus said.

Superintendent Andy Traetow explained that each year the district office seeks junior and senior students who are interested in becoming a non-voting member/student school board member representative. Following the collection of the applications, Traetow discusses responsibilities, goals and expectations to candidates. The three students were then formally acknowledged as members at the Sept. 23 school board meeting.

The three students are also involved in numerous elective and extracurricular opportunities, and with their recent role as 2025-2026 student school board members, the trio is excited to engage with their peers in regards to strategies to improve their academic lifestyle in school.

“I like the ability to have insight to bring to my peers. I know a lot of people have questions about what happens in the school board, things like the new referendum. It’s cool to be in on those discussions and then also bring that back to the student body. And then also the opposite of that, it’s exciting to hear what my fellow peers want and then share that with Mr. Traetow and the school board, and building opportunities for students here in the building,” Lutterman said.

“I want to try and give a voice to the Latino and Hispanic people, and opportunities,” Medina Ambrosio said. She additionally remarked that she is happy to have this opportunity to be at FHS and represent the Latino and Hispanic student demographics as a student school board member.

Looking ahead, the three students plan to be a connecting bridge between the school board and the student body, approach fellow students and inquire about what they would like to see changed, whether current changes have proven to be beneficial and report to the school board on their behalf.

The students and Traetow also hope to inspire communication and encourage students to seek more information and voice their thoughts regarding school evolution, and the school board to continue to strongly heed student input.

“[It’s important to bring] ideas from students so they can put their opinion on what is best for them or what they would like to see in school, so they can enjoy the environment here in school. And not think like, ‘Oh, I have to go to school’. There’s something to look forward to coming to school. It’s a great experience to be here,” Medina Ambrosio said.

Traetow himself reported that over the 10 years Fairmont Area Schools has welcomed student members, the district has made notable progress with the advisement of the students.

“On behalf of the school district and the school board, we are grateful for the presence of student leaders and for these three to step forward and to take on leadership roles to support peers and help make our school district the best that it can be,” he said. “Their feedback has been instrumental in developing different projects that we do throughout the school district. And it’s important to offer these types of opportunities for student leadership to rise to the expectations that we have to be a great school district that supports our students, listens to them, and that uses their voice to create sustained improvement throughout their time as students at Fairmont Area Schools,” Traetow said.