HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – Student school board members Karla Quintanilla-Pineda and K’Veon Ivory spent the majority of the school year working alongside the Christian County Board of Education during their senior year, having a front row seat to see how key decisions are made after being selected by their peers.
“You guys have raised the bar,” said Superintendent Chris Bentzel during their final meeting before graduation. He pointed out how the board has relied on them for the student point of view about graduation and the new Christian County High School.
After the meeting they both spoke with Christian County, sharing that they feel they have gained unique insight into what makes the school’s function. They agreed that what surprised them the most was the intricacies of allocating and organizing funds within the district, especially when it came to construction of the new high school. K’Veon added that he hopes his time on the board will encourage other young men in high school to pursue this opportunity in the future.
After graduation, Karla and K’Veon are both pursuing nursing career paths. Even before graduation, they both passed their clinical assessments and are certified nursing assistants.
Karla will be attending Hopkinsville Community College for he associates degree and plans to finish her bachelor’s at Murray State University. K’Veon is heading to Western Kentucky University and hopes to come back to Hopkinsville to work as nurse.
“Throughout this past year, they have represented their schools and our district with excellence, professionalism, and pride,” said a statement from CCPS. “In addition to balancing academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, clubs, organizations, college coursework, and leadership opportunities, both students faithfully attended two Board of Education meetings each month while serving as the voice of their fellow students.”
| EDUCATION NEWS: Read more from Christian County Schools
Background of student board members, their accomplishments at school
In 2022, Christian County Schools joined other districts across the state of Kentucky to begin the initiative of student representatives serving on their boards. The students are non-voting members and did not participate in closed-session meetings.
In his senior year, K’Veon was involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Student Superintendent Advisory Council, HOSA, KYA, the Black Student Union, and the basketball team at CCHS. He was also a Gateway Ambassador and a CCPS Ambassador as well as being part of the Health Sciences Academy at Gateway Academy.
Karla is a senior at Hopkinsville High School, soccer player, and a member of Beta Club and HOSA while attending the Health Sciences Academy at Gateway Academy. This is her second year as a Superintendent Student Advisory Council, and she works at Chick-fil-A while tutoring Spanish at Pembroke Elementary. Karla also operates her own nail business, managing everything from social media to client scheduling.
“These outstanding seniors are leaders in and out of the classroom,” said CCPS. “They have served their schools, represented our district as ambassadors, and continuously demonstrated what it means to lead with character and commitment. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished and even more excited for what lies ahead for them.”