Two DeKalb County School District students will advise Georgia's top education official after earning spots on a statewide panel that drew nearly 1,500 applicants.
Chloe Krebs of DeKalb School of the Arts and Elijah Stephens of Arabia Mountain High School were selected for State School Superintendent Richard Woods's 2026-2027 Student Advisory Council, the district announced on X on Oct. 27. Just 85 students made the cut from 1,427 applicants across Georgia.
The council gives high school students a direct line to the superintendent. Members meet with Woods throughout the school year to discuss how state policies affect their classroom experiences, according to the Georgia Department of Education. Council members also serve as ambassadors for the superintendent and carry out service projects in their communities.
"Students can tell us firsthand how the decisions we make affect their learning and their plans for the future," Woods said, according to a Cobb County School District announcement about another council selectee.
Students in grades 10 through 12 were eligible to apply. Selection was based on the strength of essay responses and geographic representation, drawing students from rural, suburban and urban communities across the state's Regional Educational Service Agency regions.
The council's first meeting was scheduled for Oct. 19 at the Georgia Department of Education's offices in Atlanta. Three more meetings are planned for January, March and April 2027.
Students interested in serving on a future council can watch for the next application window, expected to open in August 2027.
