April 30, 2009
Tim Hwang voted next Student Member of the Board of Education
Wootton junior Tim Hwang defeated Richard Montgomery junior Jiayi Yang in a county-wide election held Tuesday and Wednesday to determine the 2009-2010 Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB), according to an announcement on the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Student Affairs Office website. Hwang will begin his term as the 32nd SMOB on July 1, replacing current SMOB and Watkins Mill senior Quratul-Ann Malik.
Hwang is looking forward to his upcoming term. "I haven't had time for it to sink in yet," he said. "But I'm excited and ready to get started."
During the last two days, 63,386 students from 25 high schools and 38 middle schools voted. Hwang received 35,654 votes, or 56.49 percent to defeat Yang, who collected 27,460 votes, or 43.51 percent. Blair students voted 57.34 percent in favor of Hwang, according to an Election Summary Report found on the Student Affairs Office website.
40-50 Student Government Association (SGA) members and Blair Ambassadors administered voting in the Blair gym, according to senior and Deputy Judge Giulian Garruba. Although the voting was delayed Tuesday morning, SGA members made adjustments to accommodate students who missed the opportunity to vote during their second period English class. "For the most part, we figured out an effective process that minimized the confusion of voters," Garruba said.
Hwang plans to discuss solutions to school issues such as the open lunch policy, High School Assessment (HSA) graduation requirement and Loss of Credit (LC) policy through SMOB 2.0, a coalition of student representatives from across the county. "It's a chance for students to get involved and actively participate in SMOB policy," he said.
Hwang has proposed altering the current exam policy to allow students who receive an "A" on both quarter report cards to complete a cumulative project that will count as their semester exam grade. He also hopes to work with Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) President David Murray to petition for a waiver of the HSA graduation requirement for disadvantaged students.
Yang congratulated Hwang on his election win. "I'm happy for Tim and I hope he is able to accomplish the goals he has set out during his campaign," he said. "I'm confident he'll make a great SMOB."
Yang also identified pressing student concerns that he hopes Hwang will address as the next SMOB. "One area I want to see Tim work with is student advocacy. Issues like student parking, iPods and cell phones and open lunch," he said. "I want to see Tim be a voice for students and get these problems fixed."
Hwang is looking forward to his upcoming term. "I haven't had time for it to sink in yet," he said. "But I'm excited and ready to get started."
Wootton junior Tim Hwang won a decisive victory over opponent Jiayi Yang. Picture courtesy of MCPS
40-50 Student Government Association (SGA) members and Blair Ambassadors administered voting in the Blair gym, according to senior and Deputy Judge Giulian Garruba. Although the voting was delayed Tuesday morning, SGA members made adjustments to accommodate students who missed the opportunity to vote during their second period English class. "For the most part, we figured out an effective process that minimized the confusion of voters," Garruba said.
Hwang plans to discuss solutions to school issues such as the open lunch policy, High School Assessment (HSA) graduation requirement and Loss of Credit (LC) policy through SMOB 2.0, a coalition of student representatives from across the county. "It's a chance for students to get involved and actively participate in SMOB policy," he said.
Hwang has proposed altering the current exam policy to allow students who receive an "A" on both quarter report cards to complete a cumulative project that will count as their semester exam grade. He also hopes to work with Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC) President David Murray to petition for a waiver of the HSA graduation requirement for disadvantaged students.
Yang congratulated Hwang on his election win. "I'm happy for Tim and I hope he is able to accomplish the goals he has set out during his campaign," he said. "I'm confident he'll make a great SMOB."
Yang also identified pressing student concerns that he hopes Hwang will address as the next SMOB. "One area I want to see Tim work with is student advocacy. Issues like student parking, iPods and cell phones and open lunch," he said. "I want to see Tim be a voice for students and get these problems fixed."
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First, he CRUSHED jiayi with over 8,000 votes and 13% so your one voice doesn't really make a difference now does it? Don't insult people you don't even know. I can't believe you would bash someone because they're passionate for something. That's just low. Go attack his beliefs, go attack his policies, but don't use Ad hominem and personal attacks for your own argument. If you're going to propose an argument do it right. I'd like to state for the record that Tim will be taking 3 classes next year. He's basically undercutting his entire senior year academic record to serve the students. He'll also be leaving his non-profit the next year turning the reigns over to one of his department heads - the rest of his time there will be devoted to training him. And he'll be giving up a lot of his political roles as a result of a COI. He was on the honor roll (not that it matters to obsessed stalkers like you) - in fact he's still maintained a 4.7 despite his busy schedule. You don't know Tim and you're an idiot so get your facts straight before you come on here and spread your lies. I'm actually really disappointed that our school would even put up people like you. People like you really should stop the mud-slinging because frankly its really not cool. Why don't you post with your real name? In other news, you jiayi supporters get over yourselves. Tim won so go support him. You're only hurting yourselves by bashing him. After all, he IS your SMOB.
My main issue with Tim is that his activities seem like transparent attempts to inflate his resume. Its entirely possible that his efforts are genuine, but he characterizes his successes are more than they really are. For instance, I would hardly call Operation Fly an "international non-profit organization" with a worldwide "board of directors." In an interview with the Gazette in 2007, Tim said that "learning to manage a group of 20 or 30 students is a great leadership experience." 20-30 student volunteers taking one day to sell baked goods or distribute backpacks is a far cry from a multinational effort.
If Tim is reading this, and means well, then he should step down off his holier-than-thou podium and represent his achievements as they are: an involved and caring teenager trying to do a little good in the world.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/12102008/potonew200054_32477.shtml
"What started off as an operation of about 50 students meeting at Wootton has blossomed into a thriving nonprofit organization with more than 500 student employees and volunteers, and branches in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Boston, New York, and Baltimore."
"The group resembles a grassroots network of chapters, with new branches spreading rapidly from the international to the local level. The organization may soon be expanding to Toronto, Los Angeles and Dallas."
"When you are 15 or 16, learning to manage a group of 20 or 30 students is a great leadership experience," Hwang said. "A lot of the students have never done any fundraising or community work, and it the first time they're learning to interact with their community, adults and other students"
The things he says are exactly what they are.
I never said I am a Jiayi supporter, I just said that it's hard to know if Tim really cares, or is just doing SMOB to add another glorious line to his 50-page resume.
I don't think I am spreading any lies. I think Tim is a very smart guy and I admire him for all the work he does do, I am not underestimating any of that. But really, is that guy doing more than 20 demanding extracurricular activities while running an "international" non-profit organization out of the goodness of his heart? He shouldn't overwhelm himself like that, because if he really did care about doing his activities rather than padding his resume, he would actually spend time on a few activities rather than spreading himself so thin.
The fact is that it is likely they are both trying to "resume pad" - but Tim seems to express himself better, and seem more earnest.
yes, tim does exaggerate his accomplishments a bit. however, by no means is tim trying to pad his resume by running for SMOB. this argument you're making is absurd. the SMOB obviously has to be extremely well qualified...honestly, i think tim already has more that a sufficient number of ECA's...
and jiayi, hes well qualified as well. however, knowing i honestly feel that tim is more sincere as a person, and is more willing to put his all into getting something done.
the election chose the deserved winner, tim.