This press release is being resent with a correction to the total number of votes

Nicholas Asante, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School, has been elected the Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) for the 2020-2021 school year. Mr. Asante’s term begins on July 1, 2020.

All secondary students were eligible to vote virtually in the SMOB election and nearly 11,000 students cast ballots. Mr. Asante received 59 percent of the vote, while his opponent, Ms. Victoria Kidder, a junior at Col. Zadok Magruder High School, received 41 percent. This SMOB election was held remotely as a result of the extended emergency school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Asante currently serves as chief of staff for the Montgomery County Regional (MCR) Student Government Association (SGA) and as chief of staff for the current SMOB, Mr. Nathaniel Tinbite. He also served as legislative affairs director for MCR SGA and as president of the Montgomery County Junior Council SGA.

The SMOB is a voting member of the Montgomery County Board of Education. The SMOB can vote on matters related to collective bargaining, capital and operating budgets, and school closings, reopenings and boundaries. The SMOB cannot vote on negative personnel actions. The SMOB is not paid, but does receive a $5,000 college scholarship, Student Service Learning hours, and one honors-level social studies credit.

Mr. Asante will replace Mr. Tinbite, a senior at John F. Kennedy High School, who will graduate in June.

For more information, visit the Student Member of the Board website.