Blanken takes on new role; Student sworn into HCPS Board of Education

“I am a loud person and I have very strong opinions. I love that it allows me to help people,” states Senior, Noa Blanken. Blanken is NHHS’s Senior Class President, Executive Vice President of SGA, and the new HCPS Student Member of the Board of Education.

     According to the Baltimore Sun, the senior was sworn in on the evening of August 22. She took place as “the 35th student member of the Board of Education of Harford County.” Blanken believes that this position allows her to be “the voice of the students”.

     When first approached for the position, the student’s reaction was “no”. She explains, “I thought it was way too much responsibility. I didn’t know enough about it.” But, after spending time with a previous Student Member of the Board, who “completely calmed [her] nerves”, she read “a bunch of past meeting minutes” and finally said okay. 

     She was “very excited” about the new position and “invited [her] whole family to the swearing in ceremony.” Ever since, Blanken states that she has been in a “whirlwind” of “a million committees, a million meetings, networking events, and emails.”

     Some of the responsibilities that come with that are going to board meetings and “being the voice of the students.” When a part of the meetings, “if there is a vote I feel would not be the best bet for the students, I voice that loud and clear,” according to Blanken. She is also in the Calendar Committee where she “is helping to write the 2023-2024 calendar for next year.”

     In addition, The Class President expresses her role in “introducing new bills and laws”. Her goal is to “hopefully,  increase the quality of Harford County Public Schools for years to come.”

     Nevertheless, this is not the only area Blanken plays a role in. As class president, the student focuses on “doing class activities and fundraisers.” She explains, “So, if we go on a class trip, that is on me. I helped plan and set up for Homecoming, and I’ll do the Senior Class t-shirts, the Senior Sunrise, and collaborate with the Executive Board to discuss spirit week.”

     Due to her many positions and two forms of employment, Blanken elaborates on her struggles with balancing this; “my self-care is a 20-minute-nap on the couch.”

     The student plans on “going to a four-year [college] for pre-veterinarian or veterinary science and getting involved with emergency veterinary care.”