A young student is stepping into leadership.
The Baltimore Banner reports that Kayla Drummond, a rising senior at Parkville High School, is set to become the first-ever student school board member to vote on Baltimore County’s $2.6 billion budget.
At the beginning of her term, the 17-year-old started receiving training on the budget.
While Drummond will be the first student to voice her opinion in regard to Baltimore County’s budget, she credits Christian Thomas and Roah Hassan as students who helped pave the way. In addition, she aims for her perspective to refocus the attention back on the purpose of the board, which is to tend to the wants and needs of the students.
“Our opinions and beliefs and things should be valued especially because we are the school system, we are the students,” said Drummond, according to the outlet. “We’re who they’re trying to cater to.”
Drummond becoming Baltimore County’s youngest board member is a victory for the student body. However, the decision has been met with opposition.
The outlet notes that the signed voting rights bill that allows Drummond to vote was criticized by the likes of Republican state delegates Kathy Szeliga and Ryan Nawrocki. From their perspective, if underage students are unable to do things such as open a bank account, then they shouldn’t be able to vote on a budget.
“Would you let a teenager vote and have control over the Baltimore Orioles?” Szeliga via a video, according to the report from the outlet.
“Of course not. That would be ridiculous,” Nawrocki reportedly responded.
Despite the critics, Drummond is looking forward to supporting her fellow students.
“I’m just excited to be the first person to be able to do that … and kind of help figure out like the small details of it and just help improve it, make it more realistic and better equipped to help more Baltimore County students,” she said.
Along with being a Baltimore County board member, Drummond is a founding member of Parkville High School’s NAACP chapter, a student council member, a cheerleader, and a member of a social studies national honor society, the outlet details.