October 12, 2025 – By Ian Chen. Part Three of the series “Shaping the Year Ahead” checking in with MCR SGA leaders for the 2025-2026 school year. See Part 1 on the directors in charge of legislative direction here and Part 2 here on training the next generation of leaders.

Montgomery County Regional (MCR) Student Government Association’s Executive Board is a group of student leaders, advocates and changemakers working to represent the over 50,000 high school students across the county. 

Every year, directors are appointed through an application process open to all MCPS high school students. Applicants submit materials highlighting their leadership experience, advocacy work and vision for the department they hope to lead. Each department director brings a unique focus, from shaping legislative priorities to directing student task forces, ensuring that MCR’s work reflects the diverse needs of MCPS students.

To better understand their vision for the 2025–2026 school year, we asked the Communications Director, School Communications Directors and Community Relations Director a set of questions about how they plan to carry out their mission of outreaching and connecting students across the county to the leadership opportunities offered by MCR.

Interviews edited for length and clarity.

Arav Giragani — Communications Director

What are your main ideas for improving how MCR communicates with students, schools and the broader community this year?

One of my biggest goals is making our communication more accessible and consistent across all platforms. A lot of students don’t follow MCR on Instagram or visit the website, so I’d love to start a newsletter we can share on the MCR myMCPS Classroom page. That way, we’re not waiting for students to come to us, we’re bringing updates directly to them. I also think it’s important to keep communication within the team strong. I’ve seen how much of a difference clear expectations and regular check-ins can make, and I want to help create a space where everyone feels supported in the work they’re doing.

What strategies will you use to support other departments in effectively promoting their opportunities?

I want to emphasize the use of the Google Form system that was introduced last year for departments to submit post requests, because it wasn’t used as much as it should have been. A big issue we saw was that media deputies were often given information on posts with very little notice and not enough details, which made it harder for them to create strong, polished content. This year, I really want to make that form a central part of how we work. If departments use it consistently and give clear, early requests, it’ll help media deputies plan ahead, take their time and produce better content overall. 

By the end of your term, what changes do you hope to see in how students engage with MCR’s content?

I’d like to see students interacting with MCR content not just to learn about events, but to better understand the issues we’re advocating for. That means posting more content that breaks down legislation and shows students how they can get involved. For example, during State Advocacy Day, members of our Legislative Affairs Department, along with other MCR representatives, advocated for several bills, two of which were recently passed. One was HB0197, which requires the Maryland State Department of Education to create a plan for implementing Restorative Practices Schools. The other was HB0277, which mandates water bottle filling stations in certain new school construction. We recently posted a breakdown of both bills, and I think content like this is so important because they show students exactly what we’re advocating for and the kind of impact MCR can make.

Chloe Saintime — School Communications Director

How do you plan to strengthen communication between MCR and SGAs?

The main way is to collect contact information as early as possible so that we can establish relationships with SGAs. We’d also utilize MCR liaisons if a school has one, and work with the schools that don’t to establish one, in order to have an even more direct link to SGAs.

What new communication strategies will you use to ensure every school receives updates from MCR?

I would love to try and explore Remind. If utilized correctly, it could be a huge help when it comes to communicating with students. By getting school principals and SGA advisors to publish a School Communications Remind code, we can directly send messages to all students—not just those already in SGA and connected with MCR.

By the end of your term, what impact do you hope your department’s work will have on school engagement and student participation in MCR? 

I hope my department will have heightened student interest in MCR, and encouraged new students to apply. We would especially love to see participation and engagement from students who wouldn’t originally have thought that they had a spot in MCR.

Manone Djeukam — Community Relations Director

Are there any specific events or collaborations you’re planning that will give students more opportunities to engage with local advocacy groups?

Yes! This year, me and my department plan to have roundtables, advocacy fairs and tabletalks to connect students with local organizations focused on housing, disability advocacy and financial literacy—issues that deeply impact students but are often overlooked in school settings. A key goal of mine is bridging the gap between students and local government, particularly the Board of Education and County Council. Having worked as an intern at both, I’ve seen the empowering effect of having students who can testify and engage in these arenas. I also plan to bring to attention cultural months and awareness days—e.g., Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and Earth Day—by working with student groups that are aligned with those causes to host meaningful, student-led events.

Beyond planned events, how do you hope to build long-term relationships with community groups?

To establish long-term relationships, I plan to have year-round communication with local organizations throughout the year. We’ll be organizing regular check-ins, sharing planning documents, participating in their events, and having joint projects. We’ll also build a community partnership directory that will allow MCR to remain in contact with organizations and make it simple for future student leaders to follow up and continue the work. 

By the end of your term, what impact do you hope MCR’s community partnerships will have on student leadership and advocacy?

I would want all students, specifically those from underrepresented schools and communities such as the Downcounty Consortium (DCC), to feel included in advocacy environments. Through our community partnerships, I want to have students realize that advocacy isn’t one-size-fits-all—it is done in many different ways. If students leave a workshop or tabletalk feeling more empowered, more energized and more secure in their own voice, then I would declare it a success. 

---

Meet the MCR SGA Directors Funding and Training the Next Generation of Student Leaders

Shaping the year ahead: Meet the MCR SGA Directors in charge of next year’s legislative direction

---