BOSTON -
Wednesday, April 28, 2021 - Boston Mayor Kim Janey yesterday welcomed
Boston Public Schools (BPS) student Xyra Mercer to City Hall for a
swearing-in ceremony to announce Xyra as the new Student Representative
to the Boston School Committee. Xyra was elected by her peers on the
Boston Student Advisory Council (BSAC).
“I am excited to
welcome Xyra as the newest student representative on the School
Committee, and I’m appreciative of the continued leadership of the Boston
Student Advisory Council,” said Mayor Janey. “As BPS transitions into
five days of in-person learning this week and prepares for a strong
summer of enrichment and opportunities, student voices are going to
remain at the center of all educational conversations. Xyra and her peers
in the BPS community will play a critical role in shaping our plans now
and moving forward.”
Xyra is currently
a junior at the Dr. William W. Henderson K-12 Inclusion School in
Dorchester, where she is deeply engaged and involved in her school and
her community at large. Xyra is a tour de force at her school, serving as
the captain of the Debate Team, a member of Student Government, a leader
of Vanguards (the Henderson’s women's empowerment group), a member of the
Black Student Union, a voting member of the Henderson Governing Board,
and an active member of the Berkshire Partners Blue Hill Boys & Girls
Club. No stranger to public speaking or leadership roles, in 2019, Xyra
gave a speech to BPS teachers, principals, and district leaders at the
BPS August Leadership Institute.
“I am grateful for
the opportunity that my fellow peers have entrusted me with. As a student
I believe that it is important and necessary for our voices to be heard
in regards to our futures. We should be able to know the changes that are
going to come and be able to also make those changes,” said Xyra.
“Education is the key to the future. Schools provide many students a safe
space, and when sudden changes are made without students' knowledge, that
safe feeling can be violated. That is what I am here for, to include the
students' voices that need to be heard.”
Xyra Mercer was
born and raised in Boston in a Jamaican household. Growing up, she
traveled back and forth between the US and Jamaica while learning about
her Caribbean culture with family and friends. She intends to pursue a
career in education, with the ambition of obtaining a doctorate. She
could also see herself pursuing a career in politics, as she believes
there are many current issues in the country that are not being
addressed. She would like to be a catalyst for change.
“Xyra’s
perspective will be critical as we continue to review all of our policies
and support systems for students,” said BPS Superintendent Brenda
Cassellius. “Our schools are committed to creating joyful and welcoming
learning environments that foster the powerful voices of students like
Xyra. Students have and will continue to be the focus of all that we do.
Incorporating Xyra’s voice into our School Committee will enhance and guide
our most important decisions as they directly correlate to our students.”
“The Boston School
Committee enthusiastically welcomes Xyra as our colleague,” said
Alexandra Oliver-Dávila, Chair of the Boston School Committee. “We have
really important work to do in the next few weeks. I am glad Xyra will be
there to share her experience and represent her fellow students so the
Committee, BPS, and public will have a better understanding of how our
decisions impact students and their families.”
Xyra will serve on
the Boston School Committee for the remainder of the school year and
throughout the 2021-22 school year. Her first School Committee meeting
will be today, Wednesday, April 28. |
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