Meet Your Student Representatives to the Allentown School District Board of Directors:
Posted on 12/03/2018
At the Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Regular Board meeting (rescheduled from November 15, 2018), students from each of the three high schools were formally introduced as representatives for their school for the 2018-2019 school year. These students will join fellow ASD board members at regular board meetings, education/finance committee meetings and on the Human Relations Commission committee meetings. Student representatives are asked to provide updates on positive things taking place in their schools or upcoming events that are important to the school culture and climate. Prior to the official announcement, students met for a dinner in the administration center where they mingled with current members of the board and leadership team within the Allentown School District.
Congratulations to the following students who have been selected to represent their respective high schools at the monthly school Board of Directors meetings!
William Allen High School
John Carlos Santana, Meeting of the Whole
John is a current sophomore at WAHS and a member of the Gay Straight Alliance, Health Careers Club and Canaries for Life. Volunteer activities include the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention, GSA Representative, Upward Bound Liaison, Orientation & Student Interview, and serving meals at a local soup kitchen. Outside of school, he enjoys reading, watching television and spending time with friends and family. After graduation, John plans to study to be a doctor at either Harvard or John Hopkins University. John is most excited to be able to share the positive things happening at Allen HS with the board and the community.
Walaa Jaber, Meeting of the Whole – Alternate
Walaa is an WAHS junior who enjoys reading, drawing and playing tennis. After graduation in 2020, she plans to attend a four-year school to study science. Walaa participates in a variety of clubs and activities including Student Government Association, Anti-Bullying Club, Canaries for Life, Volunteers in Motion, Mu Alpha Theta (mathematics honor society), Health Careers Club, HOLA Science Club, National Honor Society and German Honor Society.
David Estrada, Education / Finance Committee
David is a junior at Allen High School who is heavily involved in the arts at the school. He participates in a variety of clubs and activities including: Dance, Chorale, SGA, Canaries For Life, SADD, MAO, Drama Club, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Odyssey of the Mind, and Media Memories.
Briana Garmon, Education / Finance Committee – Alternate
Briana is a senior at WAHS who participates in Upward Bound. She enjoys volunteering with the youth ministry at Life Church (City Campus) and serves as the activity coordinator there. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and photography. After graduation, she plans to attend Penn State Lehigh Valley to study psychology. After obtaining her first degree, she hopes to attend graduate school for clinical therapy so that she can one day open her own clinical therapy practice.
Alaa Jaber, Human Relations Commission
Alaa is a 12th grade student who plans on attending a four-year college to study for optometry. When not in school, Alaa enjoys reading and playing soccer. Alaa is very involved in activities at William Allen including: Anti-Bullying Club, Canaries for Life, Spanish Honor Society, Key Club, Mu Alpha Theta, (mathematics honor society), National Honor Society, SADD, Scholastic Scrimmage, Student Government Association, Volunteers in Motion, and the William Allen Construction Company
Loretta Washington, Human Relations Commission – Alternate
Loretta is a senior at WAHS who hopes of attending the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD after graduation. She is very academically focused, but is also involved in a number of clubs and activities at Allen. She is a member of National Honor Society, German Honor Society, SADD, Swimming, and Field Hockey. Loretta is also the Executive Officer and Color Guard Commander for the schools NJROTC program.
Dieruff High School
Cameron Barham, Meeting of the Whole
Cameron is a senior at Dieruff HS and a member of student government, SADD, Environment Club, Multicultural Club, and Class Council. After graduation, he plans to attend college to study bioengineering and pursue a career in tissue replication. Cameron also volunteers with the Runner’s World Festival at Steel Stacks, with the Children’s ministry at his church and the Lehigh County Humane Society. Outside of school, Cameron enjoys reading and hanging out with family /friends. He is excited to be a voice at the meetings that can advocate on behalf of Dieruff students and share opinions on topics that directly impact all ASD students.
Caroline Dwornika, Meeting of the Whole – Alternate
Caroline is a senior at Dieruff HS and is the current student council president, blood drive coordinator for the National Honor Society and captain of the DHS swim team. After graduation she plans to attend Lehigh University for biomedical engineering. She is a volunteer with the Special Olympics and a swim coach at South Mountain and Harrison Morton Middle Schools. Outside of school she enjoys hanging out with friends & family, watching movies and baking.
Maan Sallit, Education / Finance Committee
Maan is senior athlete who plays volleyball and basketball. He also participates in Scholastic Scrimmage, Debate, is a member of the Student Council, Class of 2019 meets, and National Honor Society. Maan volunteers with the Special Olympics and babysits in his spare time. After graduation he plans to attend LCCC for two years before moving to a 4-year college or university. He would like to pursue a career in education, possibly becoming an elementary or middle school teacher, or a landlord.
Haya Zakimi, Education / Finance Committee – Alternate
Haya is a junior at DHS who participates in Key Club. She enjoys the arts and spends time drawing, cooking, painting and reading. After graduation, she plans on attending college to possibly study law. One day she would like to become a teacher at the university level.
Jaliya Beard, Human Relations Commission
Jaliya is a senior at DHS who has participated both choir and the school musical. She has been part of the cheerleading squad for two years and attends her class meetings. She tries to volunteer at a local soup kitchen at least once a month. Outside of school, she enjoys singing, dancing, hanging out with friends and drawing. After graduation she would like to attend either Howard or East Stroudsburg University. She would like to study physical therapy in hopes of becoming an EMT or physical therapist, or a career in law to become a judge.
Dayani Rohan, Human Relations Commission – Alternate
Dayani is a junior member of the ROTC and student council at DHS. She is involved in a number of clubs including: archery, book, chess, sew what, environmental and robotics clubs. She volunteers at the Good Shepard Rehabilitation Center’s front desk. After graduating from Dieruff, she plans to study organic chemistry at either Chapman or Pepperdine University, in hopes of one day becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
Building 21 High School
Candice Molina – Meeting of the Whole
Candice is a current senior at Building 21 who is involved in art and math club. She works after school at a retirement home, takes piano lessons and enjoys painting, drawing and writing poetry, always feeding her creative side. She also volunteers from time to time at a church in Bethlehem and donates gently used clothing items to others in need. After graduation, Candice hopes to attend a 4-year college or university where she can study a subject that would allow her to have a career she loves and would not grow tired of.
Elias Sanchez – Meeting of the Whole – Alternate
Elias is a sophomore at Building 21 who is heavily involved in the school community. He is a member of the school’s lacrosse and fitness club, participates in Upward Bound and the engineering program. After graduation he plans to go to college to study robotics or mechanical engineering. Outside of school he enjoys playing video games and watching his younger brothers and always strives to be a good example for them.
Ty Davis, Education / Finance Committee
Ty is a B21 senior who is a member of the school’s lacrosse club. he enjoys playing video games in his spare time and helping out within his community. After graduation, he plans to attend college for nursing or criminal justice.
Egnar Tejada, Education / Finance Committee – Alternate
Egnar is a sophomore boxer at Building 21. After graduation, he plans to attend college to study business and hopes to obtain his MBA so that he can open his own business one day.
Shardanay Buchanan, Human Relations Commission
Shardanay Buchanan is a current junior at Building 21 high school who moved to the Allentown School District in 5th grade. She lives with her mom and sister and loves being an active part of the community. Shardonay has always been very passionate about school and aspired to learn more. By attending Building 21 High School, she believes that the school has helped skills and relationships that she gained through the schools unique structure. After high school, she would like to go to college for pre-vet and one day open her own successful business.
Nicholas Cruz, Human Relations Commission – Alternate
Nicholas is a junior at Building 21 who is very active in his school and church community. He is a Youth Leader within the church and a member of the Building 21 student government and student ambassador program. He hopes to apply to a number of Ivy League schools to enter a political science or pre-law major, and eventually become a defense attorney.