Currently serving this fall semester, Ender is excited to share the voices of his peers and make a difference in DCSD.

Read his full Q&A below to learn more about his goals, experiences, and vision for representing students!

1. What inspired you to apply for the student representative position on the Board of Trustees?
I feel empowered by learning and the kids of Douglas County. I’ve been a Douglas County student for all my life, and I have received a great education that I am extremely thankful for. It is now my turn to give back to my community for the knowledge I’ve been given. I also care about each individual child in our school district. Every single kid deserves to have a great education like I did.

2. How do you hope to represent the student body of Douglas High School?
I want to provide the Board of Trustees both the voice of students and information about student life. The main purpose of the Board is to make important decisions regarding all students. Those students should be able to have a voice in the decisions made about them. Now that we finally have a voice, I will state our concerns regarding student items. I will also give the Board information about school events and how students interact with them to provide insight into school culture. Information about our school culture and our opinions are how I hope to represent the student body.

3. What are some challenges or issues you think are important for the Board to address?
The Board has faced severe criticism in recent months, which has partially led to an attack on our entire school district. That is something that I certainly hope to address and that our entire community should address. The Board facing recent castigation means nothing about our schools. Each of the individual schools in our county is doing great. And it’s important for me, for our county, and for the Board to show how the schools — how what actually matters to kids — are doing great.

4. What do you enjoy most about being a senior at Douglas High School?
I most enjoy how activities and events are more aimed at you because you’re a senior. For example, we recently had a Senior Sunrise, which is an event exclusively for seniors. I believe it’s important to have events focused on the seniors because this is our last year before true life, and we should especially enjoy the last moments we have together.

5. What are your goals after high school?
After I finish my time at Douglas High, I plan to go to college where I will major in Applied Math. I’m not entirely sure about which university I want to attend, but I have been considering applying to Stanford, Yale, and UNLV.

6. Who was your favorite teacher or mentor growing up, and why?
Two of my favorite teachers have been Ms. Ensign and Ms. Jensen. Ms. Ensign was one of the people that really helped me figure out that I’m a mathematician, and that math is one of the things I should spend my entire life doing. And Ms. Jensen is such a great person and taught me a lot about my core values.

7. How do you stay involved in school activities?
Our school culture is so great that all you need to do in order to be involved is to show up. If you simply attend events, you will find friendly people who are more than happy to include you. That’s how I and many others stay involved with school activities.

8. What advice would you give to younger students looking to get involved in leadership?
If you want to get into anything involving leadership in a group, you need to be an outstanding member and you need to be involved. Being an outstanding member at anything is what separates you from the rest of the group, that’s what makes you worthy to be a leader. Being involved is what puts you in the group that you will be leading and what makes you real connections with real people. That involvement element is key in making one a representative. But to be outstanding makes one ready to be a leader.

9. What are your favorite local spots in the community?
I love our local Woodett’s because it serves breakfast, which is the best meal of the day. I also love the Sierra Canyon Trail in Genoa Park, as it’s so beautiful and representative of the nature we are blessed to have.

10. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love to listen to music. One of my favorite artists is Lana Del Rey. She has the most beautiful lilt I’ve ever heard, and her ability to tell a story in a song is rarely seen.

11. What’s a hidden talent you have that most people don’t know about?
Despite being a mathematician, I like to write. Specifically, I love to write poetry.

12. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
I would go to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Specifically, I want to see Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” in real life because it is my favorite painting ever.

13. What’s something on your bucket list that you’re excited to accomplish?
At some point in my life, I really want to skydive. When I turn eighteen next summer, I’m ready to jump out of a plane.

14. If you could instantly learn any skill, what would it be?
I would learn everything there is to know about car maintenance. I can drive, and that’s about it, so I want to improve my handy skills.

15. What do you think makes Douglas County schools special?
We have an extraordinary set of educators and staff that care so much about each individual student. Teachers facilitate learning, which is the purpose of schools. I have met so many great educators in Douglas County that I’m not sure that another county can match our level. Douglas County has a particularly amazing set of staff and teachers, which is what makes our schools so special.