Ames School Board Welcomes New Student Participants

The Ames Community School District welcomes two student representatives to the school board, Ritika Tappeta and William Geisler. Tappeta and Geisler, both 11th grade students at Ames High, join the board after being selected through an application process. They were introduced and welcomed at the September 12, 2022 board meeting and are excited about being selected for this responsibility. 

“I am most excited about being able to make the voices of my classmates be heard,” said Tappeta. “Ames High has amazing students that have great and thoughtful ideas that could be very beneficial to the development of the school and the community as a whole.”

“I am first and foremost excited to share a student perspective and voice with the board,” says Geisler, “as well as to help my fellow students understand the perspective of the board.” 

Tappeta is currently the captain of robotics team FTC Team Photon, the co-leader of a health occupational club called HEROS, and also a co-leader of Students Advocating for Civil Rights Education (SACRE) in AHS. Besides these leadership positions, she has been involved in Key Club, Tennis, EAST tutoring, and First Lego League (FLL) Explore, and FLL Challenge mentoring. 

Geisler plays trumpet in band, jazz band, and pep band. He runs for the Junior Varsity Cross Country team and also participates in Chess Club. This year, Geisler is also working to start a model rocketry club at AHS. 

Both students have plans to attend college after graduating from Ames High. Tappeta wants to pursue a degree in biotech or biomedical engineering. Geisler hopes to pursue a degree in either astronautical or aeronautical engineering. 

Tappeta and Geisler’s terms of office are from the first regular Board meeting in September to the last regular Board meeting in May.