Meet the 2010-2011 SSSAC Members!
"Some of the most insightful, innovative ideas for school improvement come from students themselves, and it's important we take the time to listen, and learn from what students have to share with us." - Sandy Garrett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
| 2008-2009 State Superintendent's Student Advisory Council | |||||
| Council Member | Quote | Grade | School | District | Student's Hometown |
David "Buck" Roberson |
"A person can have all of the education in the world, but if they do not know how to make it in life, its all for naught. If this were addressed, I can imagine that the dropout rate would drop itself." | 11 | Byng High | Byng Public Schools | Ada |
Autumn McNeely |
"A key reason for the rising dropout rate is that many students lack interest and motivation in our transitional education format, but small school districts such as Allen, lack the funding and space needed to provide classes to spark students motivation." | 10 | Allen High | Allen Public Schools | Allen |
Carly Cox  |
"I believe a solution is to change the high school schedule. More flexible scheduling could solve many problems. If students could choose their classes and times, I believe the dropout rate would improve. If they were allowed to start their day later, or possibly take some classes that tied their job and school together, it would make a large difference." | 12 | Altus High | Altus Public Schools | Altus |
Bridget Harkin |
"The discontent for most struggling students in my high school begins when they are in middle school and worsens in high school. Kids become isolated and lack social interaction; they find classes uninteresting and irrelevant; classes become harder and those who do not like you read or read poorly get behind and then become discouraged. Students begin to feel unsuccessful." | 12 | Alva Senior High | Alva Public Schools | Alva |
Alexander Guerra |
"A good way to prevent high school dropouts would be to inform students of the countless benefits that a high school education can provide." | 10 | Dickson High | Dickson Public Schools | Ardmore |
Allison Redding |
"High performing students need ways for their schoolwork to remain relevant, such as hands-on activities and field trips. The relationship between a student and their teachers can make a 180 degree difference in how a student perceives their time spent in school." | 9 | Bartlesville Mid-High | Bartlesville Public Schools | Bartlesville |
Mackenzie Wright |
"After asking students around my school how we could decrease the number of dropouts some students said emphasizing safe sex and drug prevention would cut down the number of dropouts. However, the majority of students said that making school more exciting for those who are not interested in education is crucial to drop out prevention. I would suggest having an award program that would encourage attendance and staying in school. Also, increasing the number and variety of clubs, extra curricular activities, and types of classroom settings offered at school could potentially make students more enthused about education." | 10 | Bartlesville Mid-High | Bartlesville Public Schools | Bartlesville |
Tara Moses |
"From what I have seen, students dropout of school because of low grades that are associated with the feeling of failure and rejection. I feel that a practical solution would be to have peer tutoring. If we provide students with opportunities to better themselves without the pressure and awkward environment of an adult teacher who may not identify with the student, we could help prevent dropouts." | 10 | North Intermediate High | Broken Arrow Public Schools | Broken Arrow |
Vance Victor |
"Although the dropout crisis is a major issue in today's society, through the cooperative efforts do students, parents, educators, and other partners in our communities, we can find a solution." | 11 | Broken Bow High | Broken Bow Public Schools | Broken Bow |
Cortlandt Sellers |
"A good alternative education program is vital to keep students from dropping out of school. Such programs identify and reach out to those at risk of dropping out. Students in danger of dropping out find teachers who care. Instead of being rejected for their differences, they become an integral part of a system that offers more hands-on learning and fosters self-esteem. Here students progress at their own pace and earn school credit in nontraditional ways." |
11 | Cleveland High | Cleveland Public Schools | Cleveland |
Stephen Tillinghast |
"I hear everyday of another student got tired and quit. I hope one day students will recognize the importance of education and take every step to graduate and lay the foundation of their future." | 11 | Owasso High | Owasso Public Schools | Collinsville |
Andrew Davis |
"Dropping out is a choice. We cannot make a student stay in school if that is where he or she does not want to be. We can however make a school where a student would want to come everyday. Students need to be educated as to what will happen in their future if they do dropout. Our education system is not entirely to blame." | 10 | Drumright High | Drumright Public Schools | Drumright |
Bryce LaFon |
"If the problem of failing students is stopped early on, then there is a good chance for a reduction in the number of dropouts. A teenager that feels success will keep pursuing it." | 10 | Deer Creek High | Deer Creek Public Schools | Edmond |
Brandon Pascoe |
"A lot of students that drop out don't have the parental influence and support to deal with the pressures and stress of just being a teenager in today's society. Students need to feel that somebody cares." | 12 | Edmond Memorial High | Edmond Public Schools | Edmond |
Jordan Garrett |
"I believe the dropout rate affects all schools in Oklahoma, including mine and it must be solved to make Oklahoma student's successful leaders in the World." | 9 | Edmond Memorial High | Edmond Public Schools | Edmond |
Grant Schleifer |
"Knowledge is power because without it we are slaves to those with knowledge." | 10 | Edmond Santa Fe High | Edmond Public Schools | Edmond |
Lauren Zurmehly |
"I view education as the opening of opportunities. The more education a person achieves the more opportunities arise." | 11 | Carl Albert High | Mid-Del Public Schools | Edmond |
Kendra Collins |
"Classes students feel are beneficial or intriguing motivate them to succeed, thus motivating a prolonged attendance. Schools must encourage teachers to reward students accomplishments and to praise hard work regularly. Some students lack support systems and encouragement and cease to attempt subjects in which they are unable to achieve success quickly." | 11 | El Reno High | El Reno Public Schools | El Reno |
Tyler Williams |
"I believe that you can help students from dropping out by making them feel more involved. I also believe the ability to dropout should be much more difficult and that the dropout age should be raised to 18. I think solving the dropout problem starts with the teacher. They should be taught how to deal with a student who is a high-risk dropout student." | 12 | Glenpool High | Glenpool Public Schools | Glenpool |
Rachel Lastinger |
"Student dropouts impact my school. I believe that we can help prevent this issue by informing students about three main dropout causes, adding a goal-setting class in school and offering job out. Every high school should have regular presentations that the high school and middle school students attend." | 12 | Glenpool High | Glenpool Public Schools | Glenpool |
Krysta Gilbert |
"School dropout is a problem that affects everyone in Oklahoma. It reaches all the way to my rural school in the Oklahoma Panhandle. I feel we need to make school more interactive and show how it relates to everyday life." | 11 | Hardesty High | Hardesty Public Schools | Hardesty |
Miguel Guerrero |
"A third-generation Mexican-American, I understand the importance of a good education. I know that if I quit now, I will just become another statistic." | 10 | Idabel High | Idabel Public Schools | Idabel |
Amanda Mathias |
"Providing more hands-on activities, offering classes designed towards students interests, and providing more technologies in high school classrooms, I believe that schools could lower the dropout rate." | 11 | Catoosa High | Catoosa Public Schools | Inola |
Malia Castillo |
"We should look for ways to directly help students finish and excel in their classes. We may do this by offering tutoring through teachers and peers, and raising money for better learning tools and facilities. We should encourage these struggling students to participate in at least one extra-curricular activity." | 12 | Kellyville High | Kellyville Public Schools | Kellyville |
Shasta Jones |
"Today, education may be even more important than it has been in the past. Receiving a high school diploma is an essential first step in order to obtain a job that can help provide a financially stable life." | 11 | Keota High | Keota Public Schools | Keota |
Brock Coughlan |
"Getting involved in a students life to ensure their future success is going to take more than a weekly trip to the counselors office or a visit to a school based social worker. We must take a sincere interest in the lives of these students. By becoming better involved we can work to eliminate the issues facing "at risk" students before they have a major affect on their lives." | 12 | Kingfisher High | Kingfisher Public Schools | Kingfisher |
Chad Hagermann |
"Some school districts including my own, offer alternative education programs for students who are moving toward the decision of dropping out. If we informed more students about programs like these, maybe we could cut down the one in seven to one in seven thousand." | 12 | Elgin High | Elgin Public Schools | Lawton |
Mary "Ashley" Rowland |
"Education teaches students how to succeed. In the words of an anonymous poet "Education is only a ladder to gather fruit from the tree of knowledge, not the fruit itself"." | 12 | Locust Grove High | Locust Grove Public Schools | Locust Grove |
Noreen Anwar |
"Alternative methods should be offered to help students earn credits and have a second chance." | 11 | Midwest City High | Mid-Del Public Schools | Midwest City |
Marla Ross |
"Education about the disadvantages of dropping out may help some teens stay in school." | 11 | Minco High | Minco Public Schools | Minco |
Lyndsay Tabor |
"Education is the foundation that can instill many of the lessons needed to succeed in the real world. If we work our hardest to educate our youth, we will see a positive change in the nation." | 12 | Muldrow High | Muldrow Public Schools | Muldrow |
Lamont Lee |
"When people have the resources to expand their lifestyle, they generally become more productive. When those students who are potential dropouts truly understand the consequences of these actions, it will be easier to keep them in an educational environment." | 12 | Muskogee High | Muskogee Public Schools | Muskogee |
Jack "Lee" Hill |
"When I see a dropout, I see a story of a person that could have been." | 11 | Norman High | Norman Public Schools | Norman |
| Quynh Phi |
"I believe dropping out is one of the biggest mistakes people can make. In most cases, it leads to a life of discontentment and unhappiness." | 11 | Southeast High | Oklahoma City Public Schools | Oklahoma City |
| Kyla Combs | "Life is a series of choices, all though one may not realize it, none of those choices are as important as being able to get the full benefit of an education." | 12 | Midwest City High | Mid-Del Public Schools | Oklahoma City |
Cody Huffine |
"From my personal experiences, I believe that it is vital to keep yourself in school if you want to achieve success in life." | 9 | Western Heights High | Western Heights Public Schools | Oklahoma City |
Cheyenne Frizell |
"It might seem small, but a smile and some encouragement go a long way with a student that has a rough home life." | 11 | Maysville High | Maysville Public Schools | Pauls Valley |
Shelby Graham |
"Although we can not force students to remain in school, we can take steps toward improving the learning environment and making school a more desirable place. We must give students a comfortable learning space." | 12 | Sapulpa High | Sapulpa Public Schools | Sapulpa |
Korrie Powell |
"I believe that if more students were to receive a high school diploma in one generation, it would ultimately increase the number of students receiving a high school diploma in the next generation." | 12 | Seminole High | Seminole Public Schools | Seminole |
Alison Henderson |
"For most school districts, such as mine, having to cut Music and Art programs have left many students going through their journey to get an education without reason or motivation to being at school unless they are college bound or play sports. It would be very beneficial to students if there were a way to bring these programs back to the system." | 10 | Sentinel High | Sentinel Public Schools | Sentinel |
| Taylor Smith |
"Parents, students, and educators can work as a team to help each other succeed. The success of the community is directly related to the success of the family." | 11 | Shawnee High | Shawnee Public Schools | Shawnee |
Cherril Orange |
"In my view, education is simply the knowledge of putting one's potentials to maximum use." | 11 | Star Spencer High | Oklahoma City Public Schools | Spencer |
Keshia Kincaid |
"I feel that a good education is a necessity in life. I believe that for those who try to "start their life" without it are generally 20 steps behind those that do." | 11 | Stilwell High | Stilwell Public Schools | Stilwell |
Katie Traino |
"Children living in poverty, involved with gangs, or failing classes are more likely to be vulnerable to high school dropout. If schools determine who those students are and help them before they reach high school the dropout rate will decrease. If a school offers tutoring from teachers then those who are struggling might ask for help instead of just giving up." | 9 | Jenks Freshman Academy | Jenks Public Schools | Tulsa |
| Katherine "Maggie" Inhofe | "Offer a wider selection of informative elective classes such as a wellness and fitness class, a current events class to keep students informed of important domestic and international affairs, and a life planning class." | 10 | Booker T. Washington | Tulsa Public Schools | Tulsa |
Lindsay Pierce |
"In Oklahoma, poverty is a wide spread issue. Many students are too discouraged by financial problems to be inspired by school. There is also a large percentage of youth without a solid family life. It can be emotionally hard for a student with divorced parents, separated family members, or single parents. Also, students can be simply bored when they are not challenged or encouraged." | 10 | Booker T. Washington | Tulsa Public Schools | Tulsa |
Ariel "Ari" Prescott |
"The main reasons kids drop out of school are lack of motivation and domestic issues that are kept behind closed doors. Too many kids consider school a routine, boring chore, when in reality it can be a fun gateway to success. Teachers need not only teach classes, but also spend an allotted time in each class to help their students one-on-one." | 11 | Booker T. Washington | Tulsa Public Schools | Tulsa |
Ryanne Hilbert |
"If schools can find a way to educate students with information useful to their own situations and goals, I believe we will find a significant drop in Oklahoma's dropout rates." | 12 | Walters | Walters Public Schools | Walters |
Elizabeth "Beth" Huggins |
"I think a lot of students who have trouble understanding school work are too proud to ask for help, so they just simply do not do their work." | 12 | Watts High | Watts Public Schools | Watts |
| Austin Christopher |
"Students struggling with grades, attendance, and personal issues feel frustrated because they do not see the relationship between required classes and their future. Tailor-made graduation plans could help keep students more focused, thus lowering the dropout rate." | 11 | Wright City High | Wright Public Schools | Wright City |