The MCPS Special Elections Committee hosted a virtual Student Member of the Board (SMOB) panel, Jan. 6. The event, open to all high school students in Montgomery County, featured current SMOB Praneel Suvarna alongside former SMOBs Sami Saeed and Arvin Kim.
MCPS Special Election Committee (SEC) Deputies Anwitha Kondragunta and Gloria Dwemoh organized and moderated the event. Students submitted questions for the SMOBs in advance via a Google Form.
The MCPS Special Elections Committee, a subcommittee of the Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association, oversees the SMOB and other MCR Officer Elections. The SEC updates the SMOB protocols, plans the nomination convention and ensures fair, orderly elections.
The SMOB serves as a voting member of the MCPS Board of Education, representing over 160,000 students in the 14th largest school district in the United States. The SMOB, a current junior or senior at an MCPS high school, serves a one-year term, dedicating 40 hours a week to Board of Education meetings, county events and conferences held during school hours. In return for their service, the SMOB receives a $25,000 scholarship for higher education, an honors-level social studies credit, and Student Service Learning (SSL) hours.
Arvin Kim, a Whitman graduate and the 2022-2023 SMOB, reflected on his tenure, highlighting MCPS’ robust operation methods. Kim is now a sophomore at Columbia University studying political science.
“I believe the power of public education is one of the pillars of society,” Kim said in the panel. “As MCPS stands at the forefront of educational innovation, I contributed to this mission and connected with students who also wanted to create a brighter future.”
The SMOB advocates for MCPS students at the Board of Education, addressing issues such as capital and operating budgets, educational policy, course offerings and school boundaries. In addition, they lead the SMOB Advisory Council, a cabinet that gathers and communicates student concerns and opinions directly to the SMOB.
Sami Saeed, who served as the SMOB from 2023-2024, accomplished several goals, including providing menstrual products in girls’ bathrooms. He is now a freshman at the University of Maryland studying public policy.
“The famous quote by Gandhi is ‘Be the change you want to see,’” Saeed said in the panel. “Instead of just waiting or voting I wanted to step up and be that change, so that’s what really inspired me to run.”
Moderators of Monday’s panel outlined the 2025 election timeline while panelists interjected with their own experiences at each step. The process begins with the Nominating Convention, colloquially known as SMOB Nom Con, which is scheduled for Feb. 19. At this event, over 500 MCPS secondary students vote on speeches given by the pool of applicants to select the two SMOB finalists. The second stage is Election Day, scheduled for April 23. Polling will occur from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with results announced at or after 8 p.m. The final step is the swearing-in ceremony on July 1, where the new SMOB will take an oath of office, and current SMOB Praneel Suvarna will be sworn out. The new SMOB will serve from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
Suvarna said a good SMOB must have both proactive engagement and a genuine desire to serve the MCPS student body.
“The SMOB position is more than just attending board meetings. It’s communication, engagement and passion,” Suvarna said in the panel. “I’ve made decisions that have affected 160,000 students across the county. You need to be mentally tough to be able to make these impactful decisions and try to achieve as many students’ wants and needs as possible.”
Monday’s discussion also highlighted the significant influence and power of Student Members of the Board, despite common misconceptions. Kim highlighted their legislative and agenda-setting authority, noting that much of their impactful work occurs outside the boardroom. Saeed discussed challenges in outreach, particularly combating the perception that the board is inactive, by directly engaging with students through school visits and social media. Suvarna offered advice on effective school visit planning and communication with school administrators. The panel also clarified the nomination and election process, with Suvarna stressing the learning curve.
Walter Johnson junior Anna Jhon, who is running for SMOB this year, attended the panel to gain insights and engage with current and former SMOBs.
“The event was amazing, allowing for students to ask questions and receive answers from experienced leaders like Arvin, Sami and Praneel,” Jhon said. “I found the advice they gave about campaigning and the use of social media to campaign especially helpful since Montgomery County is so large.”
