A Dale High School student will get to express her ideas and give opinions on what should happen in school systems across the state.
Kaylee Wilkins, 17, said she is looking forward “to have an opportunity to have a say so, to make a change.”
“I know things that are going on,” the DHS senior said. “I can change things going on in the future.”
Fifty students from across the state were selected to serve on the 2010 State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.
The council was created by State Superintendent Sandy Garrett to provide feedback to her and State Department of Education staff — from a student perspective — on critical issues impacting Oklahoma students and schools.
Some of Kaylee’s ideas include changing policies on testing and offering more scholarships.
Students now have to pass four out of seven end-of-instruction exams in order to graduate, Kaylee said.
The exam tests students’ knowledge of a given subject and the score measures that student’s proficiency in the subject.
This is not something that is fair to the students, Kaylee said.
“For me, I can go in and do OK and make As in the classroom,” she said.
Some students are not good test takers, but can still pull As and Bs in the classroom, so the policy needs to be changed, Kaylee said.
Her second idea is to give more middle-class students opportunities for scholarships.
“There’s not a lot out there you can do for those in the middle class,” she said. “It’s harder for them to get more scholarships.
Those selected for the 2010 council competed with hundreds of applicants, distinguishing themselves in formal applications and community and civic service. Those chosen also represent geographic diversity for the state, school size and grade span from freshmen to seniors. An independent committee evaluated the applications.
Carren Cantrell, counselor at Dale, nominated Kaylee for the position.
“It’s a high honor for us because we’ve never had anyone selected,” Cantrell said. “I’m thrilled that a 2A school is represented. To be one of 50 across the state, that’s quite an honor.”
The school received a letter from Garrett’s office notifying the school of the honor, Cantrell said.
The counselor said Kaylee is a leader in the school and has moral values.
“I was thrilled for her and for Dale School,” Cantrell said. “She’s deserving. She’s a good student and she’ll be successful in life, I believe.”
Kaylee is looking at going into radiology, she said. Her motivation for that came from a couple of injuries she suffered playing basketball her junior year.
“I was hurt a couple of times last year,” Kaylee said. “I had to get MRIs, X-rays. I though it was cool that they could take MRIs, X-rays.”
Ky Wilkins, Kaylee’s father, who is also the high school principal, said he is proud of his daughter.
“I think it shows the influence her teachers, counselor and students have had on her,” he said. “Kaylee’s opinionated and has always stood for what she believes in and was probably raised that way.”
Kaylee expresses her ideas and is not afraid to do so, he said.
“She’ll express what she sees and what she believes in,” dad said. “I know there were a lot of applications. She felt honored and we felt honored as parents. She represents Dale School and that’s important to us.”
The council will meet three to four times during the school year, with the first meeting to be held in December. The itineraries of the meetings will be structured to generate substantive ideas to share at the Oklahoma State Capitol and with local and state education leaders.
As for Kaylee being on the council, she said, “I think it’s very important. It’s really not affecting them, it’s affecting the kids.”
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Josh Burton may be reached by calling 214-3926.
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A Dale High School student will get to express her ideas and give opinions on what should happen in school systems across the state.
Kaylee Wilkins, 17, said she is looking forward “to have an opportunity to have a say so, to make a change.”
“I know things that are going on,” the DHS senior said. “I can change things going on in the future.”
Fifty students from across the state were selected to serve on the 2010 State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.
The council was created by State Superintendent Sandy Garrett to provide feedback to her and State Department of Education staff — from a student perspective — on critical issues impacting Oklahoma students and schools.
Some of Kaylee’s ideas include changing policies on testing and offering more scholarships.
Students now have to pass four out of seven end-of-instruction exams in order to graduate, Kaylee said.
The exam tests students’ knowledge of a given subject and the score measures that student’s proficiency in the subject.
This is not something that is fair to the students, Kaylee said.
“For me, I can go in and do OK and make As in the classroom,” she said.
Some students are not good test takers, but can still pull As and Bs in the classroom, so the policy needs to be changed, Kaylee said.
Her second idea is to give more middle-class students opportunities for scholarships.
“There’s not a lot out there you can do for those in the middle class,” she said. “It’s harder for them to get more scholarships.
Those selected for the 2010 council competed with hundreds of applicants, distinguishing themselves in formal applications and community and civic service. Those chosen also represent geographic diversity for the state, school size and grade span from freshmen to seniors. An independent committee evaluated the applications.
Carren Cantrell, counselor at Dale, nominated Kaylee for the position.
“It’s a high honor for us because we’ve never had anyone selected,” Cantrell said. “I’m thrilled that a 2A school is represented. To be one of 50 across the state, that’s quite an honor.”
The school received a letter from Garrett’s office notifying the school of the honor, Cantrell said.
The counselor said Kaylee is a leader in the school and has moral values.
“I was thrilled for her and for Dale School,” Cantrell said. “She’s deserving. She’s a good student and she’ll be successful in life, I believe.”
Kaylee is looking at going into radiology, she said. Her motivation for that came from a couple of injuries she suffered playing basketball her junior year.
“I was hurt a couple of times last year,” Kaylee said. “I had to get MRIs, X-rays. I though it was cool that they could take MRIs, X-rays.”
Ky Wilkins, Kaylee’s father, who is also the high school principal, said he is proud of his daughter.
“I think it shows the influence her teachers, counselor and students have had on her,” he said. “Kaylee’s opinionated and has always stood for what she believes in and was probably raised that way.”
Kaylee expresses her ideas and is not afraid to do so, he said.
“She’ll express what she sees and what she believes in,” dad said. “I know there were a lot of applications. She felt honored and we felt honored as parents. She represents Dale School and that’s important to us.”
The council will meet three to four times during the school year, with the first meeting to be held in December. The itineraries of the meetings will be structured to generate substantive ideas to share at the Oklahoma State Capitol and with local and state education leaders.
As for Kaylee being on the council, she said, “I think it’s very important. It’s really not affecting them, it’s affecting the kids.”
———
Josh Burton may be reached by calling 214-3926.
