At age 16, Woodstock resident Adejire Bademosi already has a history of activism.

In the third grade, at Worthington Elementary School, she researched suspension rates in Howard County elementary schools and shared her findings with then-Superintendent John O'Rourke.

The suspension rates worried Bademosi, since students who are frequently suspended often end up dropping out of school, she said.

As a middle school student, at Mount View Middle School, she crusaded to educate students and teachers about the dangers of Internet predators.

Her latest endeavor involves researching gifted education offerings in the county and examining why more black students aren't involved in those programs.

Soon, Bademosi will be able to add Board of Education member to her resume.

On July 1, Bademosi, a sophomore at Marriotts Ridge High School, will begin serving a one-year term as the elected student member of the school board.

In the April 18 election, Bademosi received 10,092 votes, or 55.4 percent, while Atholton junior Phil Lasser received 8,124 votes, or 44.6 percent, said Roger Plunkett, business, community and government relations officer for the schools.

"I've always been interested in education issues," Bademosi said. "I think it has a rippling effect on the community. It's so interesting to me."

Students in the sixth through 11th grades were eligible to vote in the election, Plunkett said, adding that voter turnout this year was nearly 75 percent, which is in line with previous years.

'Everyone is a stakeholder'

As the student member of the board, Bademosi said she is hoping to get county students more actively involved in school board meetings and leadership opportunities.

"I want to get all students involved in the process," she said. "It's almost like spreading the wealth. ... I think everyone is a stakeholder in this process."

Bademosi replaces Reservoir High School senior Andrew Gavelek, who will attend the Coast Guard Academy in the fall. Gavelek's last school board meeting will be June 12, he said.

Gavelek, who has had a life-long passion for politics and government, said Bademosi can expect a lot of hard work during her term on the board.

For Gavelek, the hard work was worth it.

"It's probably one of the most rewarding experiences in my life," he said.

Bademosi also is involved in student government and several clubs and activities at Marriotts Ridge, including the Model United Nations, the debate club and the countywide Achieving Change Together Club.

She serves as vice president of the Howard County NAACP youth council and of her school's multicultural and African-American awareness clubs. She also is president and founder of the Nigerian American Student Government Association.

E-mail Sarah Daniels at sdaniels@patuxent.com.

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