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JUDY WOODRUFF: As students
are getting into the swing of
things back at school this fall,

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high schooler Solyana Mesfin has
a very unusual role, sitting on
Kentucky's Board of Education.

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After going to middle school
in Ethiopia, Solyana's on his
family moved to Louisville,

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Kentucky, and she now works to
bridge conversations between the

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state's 600,000 public school
students and policymakers.

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Tonight, she shares her
Brief But Spectacular
take on the importance of
student representation.

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SOLYANA MESFIN, Kentucky Board
of Education Member: When
I first came to high school

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in America, I thought
it would be like what's
in the movies, right?

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But once I got here, it
was completely different.
I didn't really know how to

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operate the system. I
didn't know what it meant
to be a student in America.

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I'm from Alexandria, Virginia,
but I moved to Addis Ababa,

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Ethiopia, when I was 11.
And I moved to Louisville,
Kentucky, when I was 14.

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When I first started
high school, I didn't
even know how to open a
locker. Now I'm the first

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active student to serve
on the Kentucky State
Board of Education. We're
one of only a few states

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that does this across the
country. And it's highly
important that we're able
to have a seat at the

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table, but also just to
be listened to and to be
validated, so that we are
a part of the solution.

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In my work in student advocacy,
I contributed to statewide
mental health roundtables and

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equity-related campaigns,
especially in regards to the
Black Lives Matter movement.

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Being the student representative
is a huge weight, because
it's like almost 700,000

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students. I recognize
the importance of it, but
I'd be lying if I said I
didn't struggle with it,

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because there's so many
perspectives. And we have such
a diverse array of students.

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So, I really prioritize a
collaborative effort and
really connecting with students

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all across the state. My
sense of belonging now,

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it's something that's
definitely high-end. I was
an invisible student in
my freshman year. But now,

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all of a sudden, teachers
are saying hi, and the
administration is saying hi.

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And that's the type of
treatment that every student
should receive. Amongst

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representation, especially
student representation,

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you often have students who
are glorified by their school
systems, students who are

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the honor roll students or
students who are athletes, or
different things like that.

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But, for me to be in this
position and for me to say
-- like, I just failed a

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test yesterday -- I'm
not elevated above any
other student or any
other person in my class.

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It's highly important
for students to have this
position and for students
to have this voice,

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so that they can be integral
parts of this education system,

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and we can be validated
not only as learners, but
as peers in this work.

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My name is Solyana Mesfin, and
this is my Brief But Spectacular
take on student representation.

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JUDY WOODRUFF:
Thank you, Solyana.

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What an impressive young woman.

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And you can watch more Brief
But Spectacular videos online
at PBS.org/NewsHour/Brief.