How did a highschool student become a beacon of change for an entire district? Martina Boules, a student at Infinity Institute, now represents the voices of the over thirty thousand students at Jersey City Public Schools. After being selected to compete for this position at the school level, Martina Boules and her opponent, Kelly Ngyuen, have formed phenomenal speeches, in which they recited to their audience. Both candidates did an amazing job, but Martina had gained the honor of progressing to the Board elections. There, she competed against the winner from every high school in the district. After revising her very own speech and presenting it in front of the City Wide Student Council, she had secured the position of Board of Education Pupil Representative.
In her new role, Martina collaborates with the CityWide Student Council where she listens and finds solutions for concerns shared throughout the district. Her first initiative focuses on connecting students with internships and real world experience. She repeatedly mentions that since she is a representative for the entire district, it is very important that she takes their opinions and feedback in everything she does. Not all students get the opportunity to explore different career paths in middle or high school. After gaining more feedback from students across the district, Martina hopes to partner with different businesses and organizations to solve this issue.
Moreover, Martina is well-suited for this role as she had served in the Infinity Institute Student Council for four years, where she gained experience in tackling different issues. She had already worked towards creating a positive change in our school, through an initiative called the Blessings Bags project. She had heard the concerns of the community and worked alongside executive members of the Student Council to organize an event where they collected and distributed essential items to those in need. She now serves as the Student Council Secretary, and I cannot wait to see the changes she’ll make! In addition to that, Martina serves as a Phoenix Fellow Mentor for the middle school students. She helps new students adapt to our school environment.
Martina Boules is a very inspiring individual as she is committed to taking actions that recognize and meet the needs of every student, ensuring that everyone has a chance to succeed. By fostering an inclusive and accountable environment, she ensures that every student has the chance to thrive. Let’s support Martina in her mission and continue to encourage her throughout her journey!