Release Date:
OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Board of Education and the Association of Washington Student Leaders are pleased to announce that Riley Acheson, a sophomore from Cashmere High School, has been selected to serve as the Board’s next student representative.
“We look forward to welcoming Riley to the Board and having her voice included in our work,” said Bill Kallappa, Chair of the Washington State Board of Education. “The perspectives of our student board members are critical to the work this Board does and help ensure that we’re building an education system that works for all our students.”
Riley applied for the position to ensure that student voices—especially those of her generation—are heard in decisions shaping Washington’s education system.
“I’m excited to advocate for an education that works for everyone,” she said. “All students deserve access to a learning system that meets their needs, desires, and goals.”
Acheson will succeed current student representative Castulo Gonzalez, a graduating senior at Capital High School in Olympia, who will complete his term on the Board at the end of June.
She is a member of Cashmere High School’s DECA club and National Honor Society. She also coaches and choregraphs for Cashmere’s middle and high school drill teams. Outside of school, Acheson is an active member of her local church and spends her summers serving as a camp counselor at Camas Meadows Bible Camp.
In the future, Acheson hopes to attend Central Washington University and eventually become an educator.
About the Student Representatives Position
Serving on the State Board of Education is an important role for Washington's students. The Board's two Student Representatives represent over one million students statewide. Their view can make a difference for generations of Washington students to come. Notably, Washington is one of only six states and the District of Columbia who allow students to vote on Board decisions. In addition to attending board meetings, student representatives may attend community forums, site visits, and other outreach and engagement events developed by the Board and partner organizations such as the Association of Washington Student Leaders.
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Colton Kaltenfeldt, Communications Manager