On April 22nd, MCPS held its 49th annual Student Member of the Board elections.
The Student Member of the Board (SMOB) is a voting member of the Montgomery County Board of Education. The SMOB can vote on matters “related to collective bargaining, capital and operating budgets, and school closings, reopenings, and boundary changes.” They also have the opportunity to advocate for student needs and identify issues relating to countywide nutrition efforts, student rights and well-being, and career readiness programs, to name just a few. In the words of Anuva Maloo, serving as the current SMOB for the 2025-2026 school year, the SMOB “represent[s] 150,000 MCPS students on the Board of Education, ensuring [their] voices are heard.”
Montgomery County is one of only two in Maryland that grant this position full voting rights in board meetings. The election process begins with candidate nominations in early January. Approved candidates attend a mandatory orientation during that time and submit profiles, including photos and answers to a candidate questionnaire. The in-person Nominating Convention takes place during February, followed by a recorded “Meet the Candidates” experience that MCPS students watch before casting their votes.
The two candidates for the 49th SMOB were Leul Dawit, a sophomore at Northwood High School, and Reemey Ghermay, a junior at Walter Johnson High School.
Leul Dawit’s platform centers on student voice and accountability, with a primary focus on addressing disparities through infrastructure improvements and restorative justice. This issue is one of Leul’s top priorities as his own school, Northwood, is in the process of a major replacement project where students are temporarily housed at Charles W. Woodward HS. He aims to provide progress updates on Board decisions to ultimately ensure transparency in future boundary changes and budget allocations in MCPS. Reemey Ghermay’s platform centers on achieving equity through legislative experience and targeted investments in infrastructure, school safety, and student wellness. Her primary goals include expanding career readiness programs like Summer RISE and implementing inclusive school lunches that accommodate dietary restrictions. Additionally, she prioritizes addressing the opioid crisis as a public health issue by ensuring Narcan access and training are consistent across all schools. Both candidates care greatly about making the SMOB role more representative through a diverse advisory council.
Prior to election day, many PB students were in favor of Reemey and expressed that they would vote for her. Freshman Maylise Aby said that even though she voted for Reemey, she felt no resentment when Leul won because he “explained his opinions well.” Fellow freshman Eshali Imran voted for Reemey but agreed with the opinion offered by Aby noting, “I feel okay because they’re both just students and I’m happy for their academic successes.” Junior Jaime-lee King, a voter for Leul, comments that she “liked how levelheaded he was…he felt like someone the adults will listen to.” Yet, just like Aby and Imran, King said “I have no strong feelings toward the election although I knew the guy would win simply because he is a guy.”
SMOB history shows that since the addition of a Student Member of the Board in the 1978-79 school year, most winners have come from a small group of schools. Richard Montgomery, Springbrook, and Walt Whitman have produced the most winners, with 10, 6, and 6 titleholders respectively. Remarkably, the only other Northwood titleholder was David Naimon who served in the very first seat.
Leul Dawit’s victory on April 22nd marks a step forward for representation, adding to the trend of diverse students of color winning the SMOB seat in recent elections. Congratulations are due to the Northwood sophomore on his success as 49th Student Member of the Board. Good luck and take Montgomery County far next year.
