As you enter the school building every morning, do you ever wonder, “What can I do to make a difference?”, “How can I get my thoughts out there?” Well, our very own Hayden Kelly, a Junior here at HHS, decided that he wanted to put his thoughts into action! Starting when he was in sixth grade at Plum Point Middle School, Kelly began his Student Government journey, all of which led to his position today as Calvert County Public School’s Student Member of the Board (SMOB).

So, who is Hayden?

While his day starts off just like a typical student, Hayden is quite busy during the school hours and beyond. “Usually, I am doing clubs during FLEX lunch, then I go home after school to do some schoolwork! After that I go to wrestling practice from 5-8pm, then I go home and usually do more schoolwork, or we have an SGA meeting which typically starts around 8:30.” Kelly explained that the Student Member of the Board of Education position is elected through Student Government and the Calvert Association of Student Councils (CASC).

Hayden has been an officer for approximately 4 years. “Running for all of those past positions, like CASC second vice president, CASC president and CASC Chief of Staff has helped me gain credibility in the organization and run for positions like Student Member of the Board of Education.”

According to another HHS junior, Nolan Frazita, Hayden is a phenomenal student. “He is very committed to anything he becomes involved in.” Frazita went on to explain that Hayden takes school very, very seriously and enrolls in extremely rigorous courses that push him to his limits.

The next BIG THING!

As the Student Member of the Board of Education at CCPS, Hayden gets direct access to the Board of Education, which gives him a great opportunity to share his thoughts of what can make the county better. Kelly explained that one of the main talking points in the meetings right now is SMOB “voting rights.” These votes would be cast upon bills and proposals, which may affect CCPS students. “We SMOB’s do not get as many rights compared to other SMOB’s in larger counties. I really do not have any other ‘rights’ than to be able to speak to the board of education whenever I want at the meetings and when they ask for my opinion.” Kelly clarified again that the Student Member of the Board voting rights in CCPS is something that the board

is pushing hard to change in Calvert County. Hayden’s job is to cast a student’s perspective and opinion upon the Board of Education.

What is Hayden Kelly like at Huntingtown High School, compared to at a Board Meeting?

The word of this paragraph, as Hayden self-described himself, is BUSY! While he admirably pushes himself to the limits, Kelly reminded us that he is human too! Between 4 AP classes (AP Calc 1, Language, and double block AP Environmental Science), being a student athlete, and a Student Member of the Board, it is safe to assume that “hard-working and busy” is certainly not an understatement!

You will not be surprised to learn that at a board meeting, there is an extremely prestigious and professional tone. Hayden proclaimed that he dresses nicely and takes this honor as the SMOB of CCPS very seriously. This ensures that each meeting will be completed with a successful peak of any kind.

Let’s Get Personal!

Now, even though Hayden carries the responsibilities of 4 AP classes, and being the SMOB for CCPS, he is just like us. “Inside and outside of the classroom I would say I am pretty similar to the average student, and I’d like to think I am pretty energetic.” If you know Hayden at all, you will know that he is one of the most kind and positive people you will ever meet. Even between all the classes and responsibilities Kelly holds near to him, you will never have a bad experience with him.

Hayden stressed that if any student has any questions about the Student Government, CCPS Board of Education, or anything else in that regard, contact him personally via Office 365.

It is on the rarest of occasions that you will meet someone so successful, yet so humble. Hayden Kelly reflects every quality that should be upon a person when granted the title of Student Member of the Board. Look out world, Hayden is coming fast!