Ranesha Norris takes office as Natomas Unified’s new student Trustee

--- Published on March 27th 2014 ---

Ranesha Norris has long been curious about sitting on a governing board because her grandma once served in that role for a church. Now it's Ranesha's turn to sit behind a microphone. The 17-year-old senior is the new student member of Natomas Unified’s  Board of Trustees.

She never had attended a school board meeting before Wednesday, when she was sworn into office by Board President Sue Heredia and found a reserved seat and nametag waiting for her beside Trustees Lisa Kaplan and Ryan Herche.

Ranesha and her predecessor as student representative, Jennifer Estrada, both are from Discovery High School. Jennifer graduated early this year, leaving a spot on the board for Ranesha to fill until school ends in late May.

Eventually, Ranesha wants to serve  in the Navy and later become an ultrasound technician. Meanwhile, she earns money braiding hair for friends and acquaintances. At Discovery High, she also participates in Culinary Arts classes, giving her another career option.

Ranesha has three brothers, two sisters, and said she considers herself “very trustworthy, hard-working and dedicated.” She doesn’t enter the Board of Trustees with any particular student issue to push. Her primary goal, she said, is to “listen and learn.”

Which is what being a student is all about, right?