By Caleb Youngblood, Public Relations Coordinator
October 11, 2024
The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) announced the 2024-2025 State Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SAC). Of the 132 members announced, 8 of them come from MSMS.
Featured left to right:
Jasmaan Banipal, Class of 2026, is originally from the Madison, MS area. He previously attended Germantown High School.
Teagan Lotwala, Class of 2025, is originally from the Belden, MS area. He previously attended Tupelo High School.
Yash Malhotra, Class of 2025, is originally from the Greenwood, MS area. He previously attended Delta Streets Academy.
Grace Ann Courtney, Class of 2025, is originally from the Wiggins, MS area. She previously attended Stone High School.
Israel Cecil, Class of 2026, is originally from the Olive Branch, MS area. He previously attended Olive Branch High School.
Yaerim Choi, Class of 2025, is originally from the Starkville, MS area. She previously attended Starkville High School.
Michelle Yang, Class of 2025, is originally from the Saltillo, MS area. She previously attended Tupelo Christian Secondary School.
Antanae Shelton, Class of 2025, is originally from the Cleveland, MS area. She previously attended Cleveland Central High School.
The council consists of 94 new members, which includes 10 students who were semifinalists in spring 2024 for the State Board of Education Junior Representative position, and 38 students who are returning to the council from the previous school year. Yaerim Choi is one of those returning council members.
MDE began the SAC program in 2019. The council’s purpose is to provide a forum for Mississippi’s students to offer diverse perspectives to the State Superintendent of Education. The students will act as liaisons between MDE and public-school students from across the state.
See the complete list of 2024-25 Student Advisory Council members at mdek12.org/SSE/Student-Advisory-Council.