La Cañada High senior Alex Zhao takes on liaison role
La Cañada High School’s Alex Zhao is no stranger to success — one look at his curriculum vitae reveals his passion for speech and debate, his interest in public policy and his involvement in several science-related pursuits.
Sailing into senior year with a weighted GPA of 4.81, Zhao doesn’t flinch at adding new credentials to an already impressive list. An avid hiker, he and fellow trail lovers formed a campus Hiking Club to raise awareness of the joys and benefits of the outdoor activity.
So it was no surprise when La Cañada Unified School District Governing Board was looking for a student representative to provide a voice to those directly affected by its policies and decisions, Zhao became an immediate contender.
The 17-year-old heard about the opportunity from friend and fellow speech and debater Riley Owen, who held the position last year before heading off to Princeton University.
“He told me about what he did as a school board representative, and it seemed really interesting to me to sit in on board meetings and represent the student body,” Zhao said in an interview Tuesday, hours before his first meeting.
Co-president of this year’s speech and debate team and member of the the high school’s Ethics Club, which he helped found, Zhao said the position appealed to his interest in democracy and politics. That interest was sparked earlier this year when he helped volunteer on the campaign trail for former LCUSD student and Board President Andrew Blumenfeld, who ran for a state Assembly seat in March.
Blumenfeld said Zhao worked the phone banks and ended up being an important member of his outreach team.
“He was a real super star of the campaign,” Blumenfeld said Tuesday. “He had really powerful, meaningful conversations with voters. I’m glad the district will now get to benefit from that as well.”
LCHS Principal Ian McFeat, who helps select student reps from among the many candidates who apply, said the position requires a fair amount of dedication and commitment.
“We look for our school board rep to be conscientious, considerate, smart and reliable,” McFeat said in an email interview. “Alex fits all of these qualities and then some, and has led many of our student organizations. [He] is the type of student that truly lives his values, and he will serve our community well.”
Student representatives are required to attend all regular meetings of the La Cañada school board and deliver updates on activities and current events at all district campuses. On occasion, representatives may weigh in on issues relating directly to the student body.
Getting an up close and personal look at the inner workings of the school board and acting as a link between decision-makers and their student constituents are aspects of the job Zhao said he’s most looking forward to.
“Board members seem to deal with a lot of issues that affect students,” he said. “I wanted to be that bridge between the board and students at the schools.”
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Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com
Twitter: @SaraCardine
