Junior Anuva Maloo from Montgomery Blair High School was elected 48th Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) on Wednesday, April 24.
During her campaign, Maloo emphasized improvements to student safety and health services, school infrastructure and student representation as her main goals. She aims to use her full voting rights as a Board of Education member to make students’ voices heard, as well as build on the progress made by previous SMOBs.
“By the time the [new school] year comes along, I hope to make my top three main goals happen,” Maloo said. “The good part is a lot of policies I have pushed since day one were things that were already in talks or on the agenda.”
Her specific policy goals include supplying school bathrooms with menstrual products, ensuring school security guards are trained with Narcan (a drug preventing opioid overdoses) and working to unlock school bathrooms across Montgomery County.
“I plan on speaking to Praneel [Suvarna] and other past SMOBs and administration in general at different schools to see what they’re doing to get the bathrooms unlocked,” Maloo said.
Maloo has several years of student government and advocacy experience under her belt. Her accomplishments include founding the NEC and DCC Advocacy Coalition (NDAC), serving as Policy Deputy for the SMOB advisory council under former SMOB Sami Saeed and testifying to Maryland government officials multiple times on behalf of various organizations.
“I got lucky enough to testify in Annapolis [as part of an internship] on the access to care bill,” Maloo said. “I just spoke about my experience having friends that are immigrants and the healthcare system in general. I didn’t expect much of it, but a few months later the bill actually got passed. I’m obviously not saying I’m the core reason why, but it is very cool to know that my words were a contributing factor.”
Maloo will take office at a time of significant change for MCPS. Her term will likely include the reopening of Charles W. Woodward High School, expansion of Damascus High School and construction of new Crown High School in Gaithersburg, as well as the accompanying boundary studies to determine these schools’ student bodies.
“Every SMOB has a different experience, different issues to tackle at the board table,” outgoing SMOB Praneel Suvarna said. “I think obviously the boundary studies are probably going to be one of the biggest ones for next year. That’s something I’m looking forward to seeing [Maloo] tackle well. I’m super excited for her.”
Maloo will be officially sworn in on July 1. As the new SMOB-elect, she is currently preparing to take up the role and make her plans a reality.
“I’m setting up meetings, trying to get used to the position and talking to past SMOBs to see how I should start on my first day on the board,” Maloo said. “When I do get sworn in, hopefully I can get to work on day one.”
