By Pepper Parr
March 5th, 2023
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton District School Board announces secondary school students Sultan Alimzhanov and Shrena Sribalan as the Board’s Student Trustees for the 2023-2024 school year.
Both students were successful in their bid to be elected to the role on Friday (Feb. 24) through an online and in-person election with 23 candidates running and more than 2,500 students casting votes.
Alimzhanov is a Grade 11 student at Abbey Park High School in Oakville and Sribalan is a Grade 11 student at Craig Kielburger Secondary School in Milton. The new term of office officially begins on Aug. 1, 2023.
Shrena Sribalan is a Grade 11 student at Craig Kielburger Secondary School in Milton.
“Being elected as one of the successful candidates to represent over 66,000 students in our board has been an unparalleled experience,” says Alimzhanov. “I feel a great sense of excitement and anticipation for the work Shrena and I will be able to contribute to enhancing HDSB in the upcoming school year. I am deeply grateful to my friends, family and teachers who have provided unwavering support throughout this journey. I am honoured and grateful to all the students in the HDSB who placed their trust in me to safeguard their interests. I am optimistic about the future of this school board, and I am confident that we will achieve great things together.”
Sultan Alimzhan is Grade 11 student at Abbey Park High School in Oakville
“Ever since I first heard about the Student Trustee role in elementary school, I instantly fell in love with the opportunity to lead change in the HDSB,” Sribalan says. “After years of involving myself in the HDSB Student Senate initiatives and hearing the voices and concerns of hundreds of students, I can’t express in words how humbled, grateful and honoured I am that my dream has come true. I’m unbelievably excited to work with Sultan, board members and most importantly, the students to ensure the HDSB is always striving to support every student in reaching their potential throughout their schooling and beyond. After watching my predecessors voice student concerns and reach immense heights at the board level, I am excited to see where this role takes me.”
In recognizing the results of the Student Trustee election, Trustees of the Halton District School Board welcomed Alimzhanov and Sribalan to their roles as Student Trustees for the 2023-2024 school year.
If these two students are like past student representative, the HDSB team of trustees will be a much better group. I have heard student trustees speak on issues that the trustees were vaguely aware of – the students were focused, well prepared and at times stunned the trustees with the quality of their delivery when they spoke.
Several have gone on to university careers – they will make a mark on this troubled society.
“Congratulations to Halton District School Board’s newly elected Student Trustees Sultan Alimzhanov and Shrena Sribalan,” says Chair Margo Shuttleworth. “The Trustees of the Halton District School Board deeply value student voice. A Student Trustee is a representative of the students at the board table, they vocalize the opinions of the students and strive to make change. We are excited to welcome Sultan and Shrena to the Board table, and we know they will respectfully and equitably represent their fellow students with passion and excitement. The Board of Trustees look forward to working alongside our new Student Trustees in making positive change happen in Halton.”
