Folks who attend Coupeville School Board meetings will soon see a new person sitting alongside the elected board.

That’s because Mason Hughes, a junior at the high school, was named student board representative during the Monday evening council meeting. He will take over for current student representatives Zach Simonson Bond and Emily Miller.

“I just thought it would be interesting,” said Hughes in a Tuesday morning interview. “I can see how local government works and see how decisions are made.”

The school board named him representative after a brief interview where they asked why he would be a good fit for the position.

“I would be able to represent the school district real well because I’m involved in so many parts of the school district,” Hughes said during the meeting.

In addition to serving as student representative, he is treasurer of the ASB, a member of National Honor Society and competes in tennis and track. He also works at Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso on South Main Street in Coupeville.

Even though he is a junior, he is already thinking about college. He hasn’t decided where he wants to study; but, he wants to eventually go to medical school.

To apply for the position, Hughes had to write a letter of interest, submit three written references and go through an interview in front of the school board.

He will attend his first meeting on Dec. 20. Hughes was the only student to apply to be board representative. The board normally chooses a new student representative during its November meeting.

“His main duty is to be a student voice,” said Superintendent Bill Myhr. He said that duty is especially important as the district designs a new high school.

Myhr added that Hughes participated in the process the school district used to gain public input on expectations for the new high school.