RAPID CITY, SD – On Monday night, the 17-member Rapid City Areas Schools Student School Board met on the second floor of the Rapid City Education Center.

It was this year’s first meeting of the Student School Board, a group formed to give students not only professional leadership and civics experience, but the opportunity to have a direct impact in the district’s decision-making process as they represent their peers.

Board member Lucas Roberts, a Junior at Stevens High School, has been on the Student School Board since his freshman year, said last year curriculum and making varsity participation eligible for a PE credit were examples of topics the group tackled.

“I thought it was a good way to serve the district and serve the community and try to find ways I could help people and see ways to volunteer in the community and make change in the district,” he said. “I thought I had a lot of ideas I could put forth that could help in different ways.”

The Student School Board is popular. While only 17 can serve in a year, others wait to get involved.

“Its been extremely successful. The application process… is quite competitive which means there are many other young people who also want to serve on the student school board,” Kristin Kiner, Youth Engagement Coordinator, Rapid City Area Schools, said. “So, we looked at projects and committees for them to serve on if they’re not on the student school board so we can engage as many voices as possible.”

Jalyn Tyln, Sophmore, Stevens High School, had been involved since eighth grade.

“I think it’s really cool and important that we have this space available between the official legislative and school board and between our students and have a voice for that,” Tyln said. “To be that bridge and being able to have that platform to use our voices to bring up problems and concerns we have.”

The 17-member student board flanked by RCAS School Superintendent Jami Jo Thompson, fourth from right, and School Board President Troy Carr, far right.

The creation of the Student School Board was student lead. Kiner said four students who had served on the Rapid City Youth City Council brought the idea to the school district.

“They knew that the platform works when it’s youth lead so they brought that forward here with Rapid City Area Schools to have a school platform,” Kiner said. “They created the proposal; they created leadership and ultimately it went to the school board to be approved so that we could get it started.”

The Student School Board works in conjunction with the RCAS School Board. The student board can develop ideas and agenda and then pass that to the school board for consideration.

“It’s really a committee for the board so if we have any concerns or ideas that we can change things happening in our district we can bring that up to the board,” Roberts said.

Student School Board members took the oath of office before the regular meeting.

One issue the student board brought to the RCAS board was making participation in varsity sports a PE credit. While that would take State Legislative approval, the student board pursued the idea and found support from the RCAS board. While it ultimately didn’t pass at the state level, it was a valuable experience.

“It was cool thing to be able to be a part of and work with and collaborate on,” Tyln said “I feel like our school board and superintendent were really supportive with that.”

Now in its third term, the student board seems to be finding its rhythm.

“We’ve been able to come up with some good ideas,” Roberts said. “Not a lot of them have been able to get up there yet but I think, especially last year, we really figured out the process of bringing it to the board so I think now that we have that process, we might have a lot more ideas we can bring up to them.”

On Monday, the student board heard from RCAS Superintendent Jami Jo Thompson before electing officers before diving into the regular agenda. It will be the first meeting of several and like a regular board, the student board meets monthly and has committee meetings the board members attend.

“I’m just looking forward to this year, we have a big, diverse group,” Tyln said. “I think we’re going to be able to do a lot this year. With all the different backgrounds and different people I think a bunch of different ideas and different perspectives and views are going to come up so I just can’t wait to see what kind of things we get to tackle and accomplish this year.”

RCAS Superintendent Jami Jo Thompson addressed the board members Monday night.

RCAS Board President Troy Carr with newly-elected Student School Board President Lee Decker.

2026–27 STUDENT SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS

Billi Backhaus — East Middle School, Grade 8 — New
Dellmar James Pungot Data — Central High School, Grade 10 — Returning
Lee Decker — Stevens High School, Grade 12, CHAIR — Returning
London Gibson — Central High School, Grade 10, SECRETARY — Returning
Honey Hearon — Central High School, Grade 10 — New
Allen Hendrickson — Stevens High School, Grade 12 — Returning
Riya Khachikian — Southwest Middle School, Grade 8 — New
Bella Nelson — Stevens High School, Grade 11 — Returning
Jesumega Onokpasa — Central High School, Grade 10 — New
Jaxon Reid — Central High School, Grade 11 — New
Lucas Roberts — Stevens High School, Grade 11 — Returning
Prestyn Scanlon — Stevens High School, Grade 11, VICE CHAIR — Returning
Astrid Schaack — Central High School, Grade 11 — Returning
Visvaa Senthilkumar — Stevens High School, Grade 10 — New
Mathias Stewart — Central High School, Grade 12 — Returning
Jalyn Tyon — Stevens High School, Grade 10 — Returning
Aurelia Urban — Central High School, Grade 10 — Returning