Kingman High School student will receive certificate, enjoy lunch with members

Kansas State Board of Education members will recognize one of the 2023 U.S. Senate Youth Kansas Delegates next week during their May meeting at the Landon State Office Building in Topeka. 

The State Board will meet Tuesday, May 9, and Wednesday, May 10. 

Kansas has two 2023 U.S. Senate Youth Kansas Delegates and two Alternates. However, only one of the Kansas Delegates can attend next week’s meeting. Sukesh Kamesh, a student at Kingman High School, Kingman-Norwich Unified School District 331. 

Board members will present Kamesh with a certificate of recognition and later have lunch with him.  

Madison Coyne, of Blue Valley West High School, Blue Valley USD 229, is the other 2023 Kansas Delegate. The 2023 Kansas Alternates are Quintin Hoppe, of Pleasant Ridge High School, Easton USD 449, and Jeremiah Rather, Andover High School, Andover USD 385. 

The U.S. Senate Youth program is for high school juniors and seniors. It was established in 1962 by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.  

Qualified students must demonstrate a desire to serve others in a leadership role and have high academic achievements, high aspirations for college and career and be self-motivated. They also must demonstrate an interest in government, history and politics. The Hearst Foundation provides each delegate with a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship and a weeklong trip to Washington D.C. 

Kamesh will share highlights from his trip to Washington, D.C., with State Board members. 

During the afternoon portion of the board meeting, the public is invited to provide oral and written testimony to state board members about proposed amendments to the Emergency Safety Intervention (ESI) Regulations. Procedures for any public hearing of the State Board are as follows: 

• Any person having an interest in the subject of the hearing shall have a right to provide oral and written testimony to the State Board on the subject of the hearing.  
• Any person wishing to speak at the hearing shall sign in prior to the commencement of the hearing by providing his/her name and identifying whether he/she represents an opinion of a group or organization.  
• The presiding officer will conduct the hearing. Speakers shall be recognized in the order in which they signed in.  
• Each speaker will have five minutes to make his or her presentation.  
• If written testimony is submitted, 13 copies should be provided. 

The public hearing is estimated to start at 1:30 p.m. If no changes are needed to the ESI regulations, the State Board is asked to adopt the regulations on Wednesday, May 10. 

Several students will conduct presentations to the Board on Tuesday. First grade students and representatives from Heatherstone Elementary, Olathe USD 233, will present to the Board on their yearlong project-based learning unit on agriculture. Students and representatives from McLouth High School, McLouth USD 342, as well as project sponsor HAMM Companies, will provide a presentation to the Board on their FFA program and specific projects. 

State Board of Education members may also act on: 

• Board goals for May 2023 through December 2024. These include – 
• Enhance the number and quality of educators in every district. 
• Enhance each student for postsecondary opportunities and success. 
• Enhance engagement and partnerships with families, communities, business and policy stakeholders. 
• Provide a safe and secure environment to attend school. 
• A request to approve Preschool-Aged, At-Risk programs for 2023-2024. 
• Recommendations for funding Kansas Preschool Pilot Grants for 2023-2024. 
• Recommendations for funding Kansas Parents as Teachers grants for 2023-2024. 
• The Registered Apprenticeship Pilot Program grant. 

Other items to be presented at the meeting include:  

• Information from Natalie Clark, assistant director of the Kansas State Department of Education’s Career, Standards and Assessment Services team, on Individual Plans of Study (IPS). 
• A summary of education bills passed in the 2023 Kansas legislative session. 
• Recognition of 2022 Blue Ribbon Schools. 

The meeting is set to start at 10 a.m. Tuesday. To see the full agenda, click here.