Howard County’s Abisola Ayoola Named Maryland State Student Member of the Board

June 14th, 2023

Maryland Governor Wes Moore on June 14, 2023, named Wilde Lake High School student Abisola Ayoola as the 2023-2024 Maryland State Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB). Ayoola was selected as a finalist in November during the Maryland Association of Student Councils annual Legislative Session attended by over 300 student leaders from across the state.

“I am extraordinarily proud of Ms. Ayoola and all she has accomplished on behalf of our most important constituents – students,” said Dr. Michael J. Martirano, Howard County Public School System Superintendent. “She has served as a wonderful collaborator and her ability to bring people together, gather diverse opinions, and effectively inform the leaders of the school system on the positions of students has been exceptional. She will be an asset for students across the State of Maryland, as well as those who lead our statewide education system.”

Ayoola served as the Howard County Board of Education SMOB during the 2022-2023 school year, during which time she amplified student voice between the thousands of students in the school system and school system leaders. She will be a senior during the 2023-2024 school year and is active in her school where she is a part of several clubs, including student government, class council, Rise Up mentorship, and Active Minds, which supports student mental health. She additionally is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the National Honor Society.

“I can’t say enough about the tremendous leader and person Ms. Ayoola is,” said Antonia Watts, Howard County Board of Education Chair. “She has been such a valuable member of our Board and has provided us with the critical student perspective that is so valuable to the decisions we make on behalf of students, staff and families. I commend Governor Moore on this decision and am grateful that Ms. Ayoola will continue to represent students across our state in the important decisions that are made on their behalf.”