Clarksburg High School junior, Praneel Suvarna, has been elected as the Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) for the upcoming 2024-2025 academic year. Suvarna’s term is set to begin on July 1, 2024.

The SMOB election was held on April 17, 2024. Students voted through an electronic ballot they received in their MCPS email. More than 58,927 students cast ballots. Suvarna received 53 percent of the vote, while his opponent, Samantha Ross, a junior at Montgomery Blair High School, received 47 percent. 

Suvarna has many impressive leadership credentials, serving as Vice President of the Montgomery County Regional Student Government Association. Suvarna also serves as Junior Class President at Clarksburg High School. His commitment to student advocacy has been showcased through his involvement with the Student Advisory Mental Health Board and MoCo for Change. Additionally, Praneel is recognized as a certified presenter by the Maryland Association of Student Councils. 

As the newest member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, Suvarna will receive voting rights on critical matters including collective bargaining, operating budgets, school closings, reopenings, and other policies. With his passion for advocacy and leadership, Suvarna is determined to represent the voices of MCPS students, ensuring their perspectives are heard and valued at the highest level of educational decision-making.

“I want to be able to show every student in the county that they matter; it is always the highlight of my day to be able to talk to students across the county,” Suvarna said.

Suvarna will replace former SMOB Sami Saeed, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School, when he becomes the 47th Student Member of the Board.