EDMONDS, Washington (STPNS) -- Edmonds-Woodway’s Lizzy Stafford has connections.

As this year’s ASB president, she’s the No. 1 student representative for Edmonds-Woodway High School.  Students know to go to her to share their points of view with the school.

But Stafford is taking it a step further.  She won’t just be sharing students’ views with the school – she’ll be sharing them with the entire Edmonds School District.

Not only is she ASB president of her high school, Stafford is one of three Edmonds-Woodway student advisers serving on the Edmonds school board for the 2009-2010 school year.  In her dual role, she can easily pass what students say on to the district.



“I know a lot of people at the school,” Stafford said.  “I’ll be able to bring a lot of the student opinions from Edmonds-Woodway to the school board that might not be represented otherwise.”

Sometimes student views are overlooked because they’re “only students,” Stafford said.

“I want everybody to feel like they have a voice at our school,” she said.  “They should be seeing the changes that they want made, and feel like their opinions and ideas aren’t being ignored.”

Stafford, a senior, is no stranger to school government.  She’s worked closely with the ASB throughout her four years at Edmonds-Woodway.  In past years she served as class president and secretary.

She’s also co-founder and vice president of the high school’s Astronomy Club, a student representative on the Edmonds-Woodway Management Committee, and a member of the high school’s National Honors Society chapter.

“We do a lot of community service in NHS,” Stafford said. “This year, the club is tutoring … in every subject to help out the underclassmen who need it.  We’re trying to minimize the failing rate.”

Edmonds-Woodway Assistant Principal Robert Johnson said Stafford will do well in her role as student adviser because she already reaches out to students as ASB president.

“Lizzy is an outstanding student leader within our building,” Johnson said.  “She possesses an uncanny sense of fairness and objectivity.  As ASB president, she strives to be inclusive of all students and looks to incorporate a myriad of perspectives before making a decision.”

Stafford’s resume is extensive in leadership, so it’s only fitting that she also serve on the school board, said Valaree VanderMolen, her school counselor.

“Lizzy is one of the most impressive students I know,” VanderMolen said.  “She has spirit, patience, intelligence and is a true champion for all students.”

Stafford plans to go to a local university like Portland State University or Whitman College and major in political science. Then, she said, she’ll go to law school to become a civil rights attorney.

“I want to be a lawyer – but I don’t want to be just any lawyer,” she said.  “I want to help people fight for their human rights.”