Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) has chosen another new student board member from a district magnet school.¶
The district announced in a release that Hannah Said, a junior at Hume-Fogg Academic Magnet High School, was chosen as the newest non-voting student school board member. She will serve alongside Ava Dakash, a rising senior at Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School, who was appointed in 2025, and will replace Hannah Nguyen, a John Overton High School graduate.¶
“I commend the time and effort the Board has dedicated to inspiring youth advocacy within schools, and I take deep pride and honor in being that voice,” Said said in the release. “I hope these next two years as a student school board member reflect my deep commitment to social justice and the progress I hope to achieve.”¶
MPNS board member Cheryl Mayes, who leads the selection committee, praised Said’s application and duty to connect with students across the district.¶
“Her application materials and letters of recommendation were exceptional, and her in-person interview demonstrated maturity, leadership, and a genuine commitment to serving students across Metro Nashville Public Schools,” Mayes said in the release. “The committee was particularly impressed by her passion for advocacy, her desire to connect with students from all backgrounds, and her thoughtful plan to elevate student voices and address issues impacting underserved populations.”¶
History of Student Board Members
MNPS began appointing non-voting student school board members again during the 2021-22 school year.¶
Last year, the state passed a law requiring each school district to create policies like MNPS’s that allow a student to serve as a non-voting board member. The legislation was initially proposed by the student-led organization Students for Education in 2024 before it eventually passed in 2025.¶
