By Kevin Barry

Staff Writer

Image Source: The Baltimore Sun

As reported by Howard Counties official website, Calvin Ball (our County Executive) in addition to the counties parks and recreation Advisory Board are at this time looking to add a student member to their Board. The county’s Advisory Board for Parks and Recreation includes seven adult members and a soon to be 1 student member. 

The student on the Boards term will be different from the rest of the Board as they will only serve a one year term which this year will be from July 1st of 2021 to June 30th of 2022. This schedule is presumed to be repeated each year by future student members of the Board.

The role of the Parks and Rec Advisory Board is to provide suggestions for possible upcoming programs as well as policies in the public recreation field. In addition, they often hold hearings for the possession and evolution of land for the county’s recreational use. 

Our county executive Calvin Ball expressed his thoughts on this upcoming change, “Our young residents are some of our most active in our community, participating in our recreation programs and visiting our parks daily, this is a wonderful opportunity for a Howard County student to have a voice and share their important perspective for the betterment of our community.” With the County Executive at the head of the charge and no backlash so far from the community, this decision now seems like a real and exciting change.

In order to be eligible to fill this spot, applicants must reside in Howard County, be enrolled in the Howard county Public School System (HCPSS) for the 2021-2022 school year, as well as be interested in what the Advisory Board does. Candidates must also be free for the Board meetings which are on the third Wednesday of each month from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. 

At this time, meetings are taking place virtually due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Upon the end of the pandemic the meetings will go back to normal where they will take place in person.

Candidates must apply to this position by March 19th. For the application process, candidates should send in their resume as well as any past experience in a role like this as well as a short essay style letter explaining why they want this role and why they would be a good fit for the intended purpose and design of this role. 

The names of the finalist candidates will be sent to the County Executive (Calvin Ball)  to be approved, and the nominee’s name will then have to be sent to the Howard County Council in order to affirm it.