Shorecrest student selected to serve on Board of Puget Sound Educational Service District

Student board representatives are sworn in to office

Congratulations to new PSESD student board representatives Savannah Yellow Calf (Gig Harbor High School, Peninsula School District) and Ameerah Elnemr (Shorecrest High School, Shoreline Public Schools), who have been officially sworn in by Dr. Balderas! 

Savannah and Ameerah will serve on the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) Board of Directors as PSESD Student Representatives for the 2026-2028 term.

Shorecrest student Ameerah Elnemr

Ameerah Elnemr

Born and raised in Seattle, Ameerah Elnemr is a proud first-generation Egyptian American. She is an incoming junior at Shorecrest High School in Shoreline, where she is interested in social justice, business management, and international business. 

Deeply connected to her culture, Ameerah is bilingual as a native Arabic speaker, visiting her family in Egypt every year.

At Shorecrest, Ameerah is President of the Muslim Student Association, President/Co-founder of the UNICEF Club, is a new member of the National Honor Society, and competed for her first time at DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) in 2026. 

She is also an athlete who competes on both the water polo and swim teams as the only hijabi member. Beyond school, she loves to walk, swim, and read, and she works as a swim teacher for kids, as well as frequently volunteering at her local mosque.

"Too often, students—especially immigrants, non-English speakers, and students coming from low-income families—are talked about but not actually heard,” said Ameerah.

“This isolates them in the very spaces that are meant to empower them. True advocacy requires us to shift from speaking on behalf of communities to actively listening to them, creating policies informed by their lived experiences rather than our own assumptions."

In her new role as Student Representative, Ameerah hopes to amplify underrepresented voices, advocate for marginalized students, and help to ensure that policies reflect the needs and lived experiences of diverse students. Her goal is to help to create spaces where all students feel safe, respected, and empowered to lead.

Savannah Yellow Calf

New Student Representative Savannah Yellow Calf is a student at Gig Harbor High School. As a descendant of the Northern Arapaho Tribe, she values the importance of representation, community, and ensuring that all students have a voice in decisions that affect their education.

A dedicated student-athlete, Savannah has played and coached basketball for the past two years. This has helped her to develop strong leadership, communication, and teamwork skills while mentoring younger athletes and helping them to grow both on and off the court. Outside of school, she’s actively involved in volunteer work and enjoys giving back to her community through service and leadership opportunities.

Looking ahead, Savannah plans to pursue a career as a corporate lawyer, where she hopes to combine her interests in leadership, advocacy, and business to make a meaningful impact.

About Student Board Representatives

Since 2021, the PSESD Board has proudly included student representatives, who participate in an onboarding workshop series, work with a PSESD Board member as their advisor, and attend all regular Board meetings. 

Their participation enhances the Board’s understanding of student experiences, and they engage in special meetings, study sessions, and training, supporting the work of the Board without formal voting privileges. They also help to orient and support future student representatives, ensuring that the student voice remains central to PSESD’s work.

Both Savannah and Ameerah will be vital in bringing their student perspectives to the Board, and their participation will ensure that the voices of students will continue to be heard and considered in discussions about regional education.