Leading with Purpose was the theme for this year’s annual Washington State School Directors’ Association conference which featured the purposeful inclusion of student voices in the decision making process.

Aberdeen High School juniors Leticia Alvarenga and Kassandra Kumarasinghe represented the Aberdeen School District, while Jose Bedolla and Alma Renteria represented the Hoquiam School District at the conference.

“The WSSDA Conference was a wonderful experience that allowed me to collaborate with fellow representatives to ensure we are constantly improving our school districts,” Alvarenga said. “I look forward to incorporating ideas I’ve learned from sessions back into Aberdeen schools.”

Kumarasinghe said it was a “very exciting” trip.

“I’m glad I was able to collaborate with other school board members and their student representatives,” Kumarasinghe said. She added that she also looks forward to putting information she learned at the conference into practice in her role as a student representative.

One of Kumarasinghe’s key takeaways is “improving on student to staff to board communication.”

“Thanks to (Hoquiam School District) Board Members for devoting their time at the annual WSSDA Conference in Seattle. All the sessions were geared on making students the priority of our work,” Hoquiam School District said via Facebook.

School Board Director Mardi Emard-Colburn, co-Superintendent Lynn Green, Directors Suzy Ritter and Annica Mizen, co-Superintendent Traci Sandstrom and Director-elect Jeanne Marll attended from Aberdeen, along with Hoquiam School Board President Don Oliver, Director Tanya Anderson and Director Mandy O’Hara, Incoming Director Daisy Russell and Superintendent Dr. Mike Villareal.