The 16-year-old awaits his interview with Schwarzenegger
MALIBU HIGH SCHOOL — With aspirations of a career in politics and dreams of improving public schools throughout the state, it would appear that Chris Delgado is well on his way to achieving such lofty goals.
The Malibu High School junior just might have the opportunity to make his dreams a reality if he’s selected next year as the student representative to the State Board of Education. The 16-year-old is one of three finalists — from a field of hundreds of eager candidates — awaiting a final interview with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“I’m pretty fond of the whole public education system,” Delgado said on Monday. “I want to give back to the system because I feel it has given me so much.
“I learned a lot and I want to help out some kids in the area who aren’t as fortunate to have the wonderful resources [available] at my school.”
Delgado is all about giving back to the community. Not only is he a member of the youth commission at his church — Corpus Christi Catholic Church in the Pacific Palisades — he is also a member of the Key Club at his high school, and serves on the city of Malibu Youth Commission, an advisory board to the City Council.
Helping the community is driving his desire for a career in politics — something he would like to pursue after having established himself as a businessman.
“I feel like I’ve been given so much in my life,”Delgado said. “It’s only right to give back.”
Delgado, who said his favorite subject in school is math and has played almost every sport at Malibu High School, is considering attending a handful of Ivy League universities, such as Harvard, Penn and Yale.
If selected as the student representative, he could be taking steps toward the East Coast. A number of the student representatives who served in the past five years have gone on to attend Ivy League schools, said Gary Borden on Tuesday, deputy executive director for the State Board of Education.
Delgado was among hundreds of high school juniors across the state who submitted an application in late October to be considered as a candidate. The staff at the State Board of Education then screened the applications and forwarded the top 12 to the Student Advisory Board on Education (SABE).
The top 12 candidates were interviewed by SABE, which then forwarded a recommendation to the State Board Screening Committee — consisting of three members of the State Board of Education — for its favorite six during an annual conference in November.
The Screening Committee then narrowed the field to three candidates and forwarded the recommendations to the whole board, and ultimately, the governor’s office.
The other two finalists are Erika Solanki, of Castro Valley High School in the Castro Valley Unified School District, and Monica Liu, from Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in the Palos Verdes Unified School District. Castro Valley is located in the Bay Area.
The interviews with the governor have not been set, with Schwarzenegger expected to make a decision sometime in the spring as to which student would serve on the board for the 2007-08 school year.
If selected, Delgado would attend the State Board of Education meeting every other month in Sacramento. He SCHOOLS, from page 10 would also have the opportunity to join subcommittees that deal with specific education initiatives, Borden said.
Officials in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District are beaming over the news that one of their own has made it so deep into the race.
“He’s an excellent representative of Malibu High School,” said MHS Principal Mark Kelly on Tuesday.“He has demonstrated that he understands the issues and really can represent the student voice well.”
Sitting on the State Board of Education should teach Delgado a valuable lesson in policy making, one he probably wouldn’t have gleaned from the classroom, said Superintendent Dianne Talarico. Delgado will learn first-hand that the education code and changes in the state curriculum impacts not only today’s students,but students of the future.
Delgado’s presence on the board would also serve as a bonus for the district, Talarico said.
“For our district to have a student voice at the table of the State Department of Education is extremely valuable to the students here and for our community,” Talarico said on Tuesday.
Delgado intends to treat every student in every school district the same, if picked, and wouldn’t give any preferences to the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. He said he would meet with students and visit different school districts in the state.
“I really want to better the lives of students in the state of California,” Delgado said.“If I can better a bunch of lives by doing this and make the school process so much better for so many students, then I feel I have accomplished my goal.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 29, 2006. Read the original PDF.