ABOUT
It was one email that changed everything. In 7th grade, during the midst of quarantining and the COVID-19 pandemic, I was bored at home scrolling through my Gmail inbox. I stumbled upon an email from my middle school’s Student Government Association (SGA) Advisor encouraging students to join the SGA. I could’ve deleted that email. I could’ve brushed it off. Fortunately, I didn’t, because then I would not be running for SMOB today. Let me explain:
After joining the SGA’s first meeting, I learned about an opportunity to run for office. Spontaneously, I unmuted and expressed my interest in running for SGA Secretary, despite not having any prior leadership experience. It all happened very fast, but after recording a rap music video for my speech, I ended up winning much to my surprise! Little did I know that this victory would have a larger impact than I ever could’ve imagined.
After serving as Secretary for a year, I applied to MCJC (the county-wide SGA for middle school students) and was very shocked to find out I was accepted as the Director of the Legislative Affairs Department where I would lead a department to advocate for a variety of county-wide issues, including mental health and nutrition. That same year, I also made the move to run for SGA President of Kingsview Middle School and won! As SGA President, I fought tirelessly in front of administration for a series of issues that many students felt passionate about, such as allowing cell phone use during lunch, reforming our school dress code, installing gender-neutral bathrooms, and so much more. Through SGA, I learned about the power of my voice to enact change and was determined to do more.
Eco MoCo's 2023 Summer Leadership Kick-Off where we picked up trash, went canoeing, and had a fun picnic!
SGA Leaders meeting with school administration to advocate for increased hallway time, unlocked bathrooms, and more!
Attended a state-wide advocacy conference where I met student leaders from across the state of Maryland!
Eco MoCo's 2023 Summer Leadership Kick-Off where we picked up trash, went canoeing, and had a fun picnic!
Towards the end of my 8th grade year, I noticed a problem: the climate crisis was getting worse and there was no student-led group in Montgomery County holding our elected officials accountable. So, I met with Lumina Zhang, a passionate environmental advocate, and together, we co-founded Eco MoCo, which has now grown to be the largest student-led environmental organization in the county with over 200 Executive Board members and volunteers. Throughout the last three years, Eco MoCo has hosted countless trash pick-ups, advocated for milestone green legislation on the county and state level, and more. Eco MoCo has shown me that with passion and hard work, anyone can grow an impactful movement.
In addition to Eco MoCo, my years in high school have been full of action and incredible opportunities. I’ve testified to local bodies of government a total of 10 times, met and worked closely with many executives and elected officials, advocated for bills in Annapolis and on Capitol Hill, convinced my school's administration to increase hallway time and open more bathrooms, and never once did I lose focus of my mission: standing up for my peers and ensuring student voice was at the forefront of every conversation.
Now, I’m ready to continue this fight and run for Student Member of the MCPS Board of Education. I’ve seen the struggles newcomers and English Language Learners face when they enter our school system, I’ve experienced students carrying loaded weapons onto my school campus, I’ve heard about major inequities between high school clusters and the need for more preparation for life after high school, and I’ve been frustrated by how slow our school system moves when it comes to issues that need action now. These issues and more have compelled me to take a huge step forward. I hope you choose to support me in this journey and vote Peter Boyko for your 48th Student Member of the Board :)