HANCOCK, NY — Hancock Central School is proud to recognize senior Kaycee Karcher, one of the district’s inaugural Student Board of Education members, for her commitment to student advocacy, leadership, and making sure the voices of HCS students are heard.
Through her role as a Student BOE member, Kaycee has the opportunity to represent her fellow Wildcats, share student perspectives, and gain a better understanding of the decisions that shape the school community.
Kaycee is actively involved throughout HCS as a class officer and member of Student Council. She has played volleyball since seventh grade and also participates in tennis. For Kaycee, serving on the Student Board of Education is about giving students a meaningful opportunity to participate in conversations that affect their school.
“One of the things that interested me most about being in the Student BOE is really putting into perspective how beneficial this really is for our school,” Kaycee explained. “For such a long time now, students have never really played a big part in school decisions or anything much at all. Now, we have a really big opportunity to really speak about how we feel, and I think that's incredible.”
Learning Along the Way
As a new ex officio member of the Board of Education, Kaycee is learning as she goes. She and fellow Student BOE member Olivia Johnston meet with Superintendent Lori Asquith to participate in leadership and training exercises focused on asking questions, identifying common themes in student feedback, advocating for their peers, and following up on student concerns and ideas.
Through these experiences, Kaycee is helping establish a foundation for future Student BOE members while learning how to effectively represent the student body.
Kaycee believes one of the things that makes Hancock Central School special is its close-knit environment. As she explained, attending a smaller school allows students to get to know one another on a personal level and form stronger relationships.
When reflecting on her time at HCS, one of Kaycee’s favorite memories is her freshman-year biology class with Jeremy Mann, which she remembers as a class where “there was never a dull moment.”
She also shared a lesson she hopes to carry with her after graduation: the importance of not being overly concerned with what others think. For Kaycee, learning to do so brings a sense of freedom and confidence.
Looking Toward the Future
After graduation, Kaycee plans to attend college and pursue a degree in a field related to criminal law or psychology. She hopes to attend college far from home to explore new places, experience new things, and meet new people.
As one of HCS’s first Student Board of Education members, Kaycee also hopes to leave a lasting legacy for those who follow in her footsteps. Her goal is to create a blueprint that future students can use as a starting point, allowing them to build upon the work she and Olivia have begun.
When asked what being a Wildcat means to her, Kaycee summed it up simply: “Being a Wildcat means to be known and valued.”
Hancock Central School is proud of Kaycee’s willingness to lead, listen, and advocate for her peers. Her commitment to establishing a meaningful student voice is helping create new opportunities for student involvement and engagement at HCS.
Thank you, Kaycee, for representing your fellow Wildcats and helping build a strong foundation for future Student Board of Education members!