OHS Student to Serve on State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council

The Mississippi Department of Education announced the members of the State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.

The council includes students in grades 11-12 or first year of college to serve as members for a term of two school years.

Oxford High School 11th grader, Ria Contractor is among the 44 students selected.  

Contractor will be joining four other OHS students who were appointed to this council in 2020- Avery Langely, Beckham McCord, Hattie Busby, and Celie Rayburn.

More than 200 students from across the state completed the initial application step, and 76 submitted complete applications. They will join the 85 students who are returning to the council from the previous school year or who qualified for the council by becoming a semifinalist for the junior Mississippi State Board of Education representative.

Students from different backgrounds, school size and regions in Mississippi will be able to share their opinions and offer advice about educational opportunities and policy in Mississippi with Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education.

“Members of the Student Advisory Council offer tremendous insight about their educational experiences and contribute valuable ideas about how to advance public education in Mississippi,” Wright said. “They are an excellent model for their peers across the state. I am looking forward to meeting the newest cohort and working with them to ensure all students have the support and opportunities they need to be successful.”

The council’s purpose is to provide a forum for Mississippi’s students to offer diverse perspectives to Wright. The selected students will act as liaisons between MDE and public-school students from across the state.

Full council meetings will be held at least twice during the school year.

Courtesy of the OSD