The following is updated from an earlier version with new information.

ATLANTA — Eastside High School junior Janiyah Wallace is among 67 students statewide that State School Superintendent Richard Woods selected to serve on his 2022-2023 Student Advisory Council. 

Wallace and the other students will meet with Woods to provide feedback on the impact of state policies in the classroom, a news release stated.

Members of the Student Advisory Council will also discuss other education-related issues, serve as the superintendent’s ambassadors to their respective schools, and participate in service projects to benefit schools and students.

“It is extremely important to me to receive direct feedback from those impacted by the decisions I make,” Woods said. “Our purpose at the Georgia Department of Education is to open up opportunities for students. Building relationships with the Student Advisory Council members helps me ensure our policies are meeting their intended purpose, and allows me to make decisions that will benefit children throughout the state.”

According to Janiyah, she applied to serve on the council because she wanted to be a voice for students on how to make public schools better.

“Newton County is kind of small and I wanted to be the voice for Newton County,” she said. “A lot of people don’t really have a say in how public schools are run. Also, I see a lot of things that could be fixed in public schools, and I want to be a part of that.”

In addition to being a voice for Newton County School System students, Janiyah said she was looking forward to meeting with and discussing ways to improve public education with her statewide peers. 

The busy high school senior is taking classes in two pathways at NCCA—health care and marketing. Her dream is to attend Harvard University and become an entrepreneur. One day she’d like to own a medical facility to provide healthcare to those who cannot afford treatment.

“I have no doubt that Janiyah will represent our school system and her fellow students well on the State School Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council,” said Chad Walker, principal of Newton College & Career Academy. 

“She is a bright and talented young lady, and I am not surprised at all that Georgia School Superintendent Woods was impressed by her application and essays. She is an outstanding student who represents our district’s motto of 'Spirit, Pride, and Excellence' in all that she does. Needless to say, we are all very proud of her.”

Each year, any student in grades 10-12 attending a Georgia public school may fill out an application to be considered for the Student Advisory Council. The application includes short essay prompts that allow students to share their ideas for public education.

The council includes students from every Regional Educational Service Agency (RESA) region in Georgia; students from rural, suburban, and urban schools are represented. 

Because the Georgia Department of Education works to ensure the council is representative of students in all regions of the state and selects members based on the strength of their essay answers, in some cases, multiple students from a district or school may be selected.

The first 2022-2023 Student Advisory Council meeting will be held at the Georgia Department of Education’s offices in November. Selected students will receive details via email.