In what may be one of the most memorable years for Oakdale Joint Unified School District, Oakdale High School senior Brooklyn Tolboe has found herself in the mix as the OJUSD Student Board Member.
Brooklyn was sworn into office at the September board meeting, where she got her first taste of what the year might entail.
“It was hard because there isn’t much I could say, I’m not very influential on that topic and that’s totally fine,” the senior said of her first meeting and the audience displeasure with the board regarding COVID-19 protocols, especially masking. “But it’s hard to sit there when adults are almost acting like the kids. Where they’re not even being respectful when it comes to talking over one another; that was the main thing.”
It was just another indication of the stress of the ongoing pandemic situation, the teen rationalized.
“I know that it’s coming from a sensitive spot in their heart and this whole thing is crazy for everybody,” she continued. “Nobody enjoys any of what’s going on. We’re all just trying to do the best we can. So I understand where the heat was coming from. When it comes to the respect level it wasn’t really there, so it’s hard to pay attention to everything.”
Her maturity, along with being well-spoken, should prove to benefit the board as well as the district as the school year unfolds. Brooklyn shared while she was nominated for the position by Leadership Instructor, Guy Fowler, she initially had thought ASB President might be her fit. Yet when giving it more thought the reach of the School Board rep was more appealing to the outgoing Mustang.
“I had an inkling towards that position because, we were so influenced by COVID last year,” she stated.
“I thought, that’d be super cool because it’s a really amazing position,” she continued. “You’re able to deal with real life situations, versus, whereas if like ASB president works with the school, I’m able to work with the ASB president who’s a good friend of mine, and work with the community and so I’m able to link the two.”
Brooklyn shared that while the September meeting was her first in person meeting, she did watch a few via YouTube during the 2020-21 Distance Learning school year. That initiative perhaps demonstrating the type of student, as well as leader, she will be for the district.
“I had watched a couple last year just because, everything was so crazy and changing from day to day,” she said. “I don’t want to hear rumors; I want to hear from the source.”
Brooklyn is currently enrolled in AP classes, which she shared she enjoys since she’s been in the company of many of the same students since starting her freshman year. She also plays tennis, as well as dances with Valley Oak School of Dance. She also enjoys painting in her spare time.
As for what’s ahead for the OHS senior, she’s still unsure and taking her time to decide.
“I don’t know, college wise, like specific schools,” she stated. “I really want to go into a business admin, most likely just so that I can use skills that come easy to me, like making sure people’s voices are heard.
“I’m not the quietest person and I feel more comfortable talking,” Brooklyn continued. “I like to make sure that everybody else is quiet so that person can voice their opinion. I’m not too shy so I really want to use that.”
All that being said, the student board rep looks forward to using these strengths to benefit Oakdale students as well as the district as a whole.
“It’s going to be great,” she said of her 2021-22 term. “I really want to use it and not just voice, my personal opinion, and not just say what my ideas are in regards to things that are going on but be able to talk to people in my class. Talking to people who are underclassmen, and get a general consensus and talk to people of all shapes and forms so that I can see what actually is going on versus just my tiny little clique.”
