Elaine Gao, a junior at Jenks high school published her first novel, “The Oracle,” on September 26, 2022. She spent eight months writing it and over a year getting it published, but at last her work has come to fruition.

For the last two years, Jenks Public Schools has provided free lunch for all of its students. However, this year is different. Since the pandemic is in decline, the USDA has also made a change: they are no longer funding schools to provide universally free lunches.

As a growing generation that’s engaged in our various communities, something students may not know is that anyone has the right to speak at school board meetings. School board meetings are open to the public. Although it may not be widely advertised, if you check out the Jenks Public School Board of Education page, you’ll find information on your personal school board member, upcoming meeting dates/times, how to make a public comment or hearing of the public, and meeting minutes from the past year.

For those looking for a guide to speaking at a Jenks Public School Board meeting, this is just the article for you. I have divided this article into sections: School Board 101, Making a Public Comment vs a Public Hearing, Common Misunderstandings, How Student Voices Make an Impact, Tips for Speaking, Post Speaking, Building Relationships, and Advocacy, and “What’s Next.”

After writing an extensive article about speaking at Jenks Public School Board meetings, here is a list of 10 things to know before speaking at a Jenks Public School Board Meeting.