BOE Bids Farewell to Outgoing Student Rep, Welcomes New One

Article by Andrew Magnotta.

The BOE said goodbye to outgoing student representative Jonah Wolff and swore in his successor, Maggie Kritzberg, Monday night. Wolff was commended by the BOE for his work over the 2012 – 2013 school year.

“You have been an excellent, outstanding student in SOMSD,” Superintendent Brian Osborne said to Wolff. “You took every opportunity… to learn everything you possibly could… You’ve done it in a way that has shown tremendous wisdom and insight.”

He continued: “You’ve been a fierce advocate for the student voice. You’ve also represented the student voice when the position you were representing was not your own. I have profound respect for that. You’ve been a trusted advisor. I have benefitted from your council, not only because your insight, but because of your sensitivity and wisdom.”

Wolff, 18, of Maplewood, graduated this past June and will be attending American University to study a unique major: Communications, Law, Economics and Government or “CLEG.”

With a strong affinity for politics, Wolff told Patch he has no specific career aspirations right now, but acknowledged his varied interests in the public sector and media fields.

“The most challenging part [about being Student Representative] was… remembering that when you speak, it’s always for the students,” he said. “On some issues that I feel strongly about, I had to hold my tongue. You always have to put the office first.”

He said the most rewarding part of his time with the BOE was seeing his classmates become passionate about issues in their school. “That was something that, when it happened, was really powerful.”

On his successor, Maggie Kritzberg, he said, “She’s a rising junior, who approached me last fall; she has tremendous interest. She’s the first woman to hold the office, so I’m very excited for her.”

“Jonah is going places,” said Osborne,” and it’s going to be better to be his friend than not.”