Seattle School Board Adds Student Members 

The Seattle School Board recognizes the organizational structure of the district can create a wall between decision makers and the students the district serves. Board members also believe students possess valuable insight and should have a voice in the education received from the district and the decisions made by the board.   

In response to student advocacy led by the NAACP Youth Council about the need to uplift and increase BIPOC student voices within Seattle Public Schools, student member positions were created. The goal is to work toward a student-centered educational system that helps students understand the educational system around them and share their perspectives with district leadership.  

Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, the board will annually seat School Board Student Members to represent student voice through board committees and regular board meetings.  

The students selected for this year’s board are Jenna Yuan, Nassira Hassan, and Luna Crone-Barón. The students will serve as liaisons between the board and students. According to state law, only elected directors can vote on board matters. Because the student seats are not elected, their seats are non-voting advisory positions.  

As the inaugural class of student members, Yuan, Hassan, and Crone-Barón will play an integral role in designing the scope and focus of these positions, advising the board on implementation of newly adopted Board Policy No. 1250, and incorporating student voice into district decision-making.   

Meet the Student Board Members 

Jenna Yuan is a senior at Franklin High School. Outside of school, Yuan enjoys playing video games, baking, and volunteering. She has been a student in Seattle Public Schools since she immigrated to the U.S. in kindergarten.  

As an student board member, Yuan is looking forward to helping bridge the gap between the school board and students. She is passionate about improving extracurricular activities, food/nutrition, and technology access in the district. Yuan also wants to work on the district’s English language learners (ELL) program because she was a recipient of its resources and received a tremendous amount of support. Yuan wants to use this opportunity to give back to the school district that has helped her grow into the person she is today.  

Nassira Hassan is a senior at Chief Sealth International High School. As an African American Muslim woman, Hassan’s experience and challenges navigating the school system with these identities informs her passion for lifting student voice. She hopes to change systems to better serve an increasingly diverse student body.  

In the past, Hassan has participated in a student activism group and crafted social media content to advocate for mental health awareness. These experiences have equipped her with listening skills that allow her to uplift the voices of her fellow scholars. She looks forward to applying those skills to her Student Board Member role.  

Hassan’s hobbies include basketball, reading, photography, and being outdoors. She is currently participating in UW STEMsub, a program designed to propel students toward college degrees, especially in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.   

Luna Crone-Barón is a junior at The Center School.  She is a first-generation Colombian American, trans, queer, neurodivergent student who is a lover of storytelling in all forms. As much as she loves storytelling, Crone-Barón also loves hearing and learning from the unique, messy, beautiful stories every person carries with them.  

Crone- Barón is excited to have the opportunity to bring her passion for the SPS community to the school board, and to have the opportunity to increase accountability of district officials. She wants to partner in creating an anti-racist, anti-ableist, queer and trans affirming, decolonized, and joy-focused education experience for everyone in the SPS community.