The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) is pleased to announce Anushka Bist and Emily Gyurki were elected as student trustees for the 2025-2026 school year on February 20, 2025.

Bist, a student at Oakridge Secondary School in London, was elected as the City of London student trustee. Gyurki, a grade 11 student at Huron Park Secondary School in Woodstock, was elected as the County student trustee representative.

They were among five City of London and nine county candidates vying for two student trustee positions. 

Hailee-Rose Hill from Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School was elected as the Indigenous student trustee on February 19.

“As an avid member of my school community, I constantly seek ways to promote extracurricular involvement, advocate for inclusivity and support my peers’ journey into adulthood,” said Gyurki. “As your student trustee I would highlight these traits by using my position to listen to student voices in all parts of Thames Valley.”

Bist echoed this sentiment in her remarks. “As your student trustee, I will work to create spaces for student leadership, ensure equitable access to resources and push for inclusivity that goes beyond surface level representation,” she said. “Our tomorrow isn’t built for us. It must be built with us.” 

Board Chair Beth Mai opened Thursday’s debate and elections.

“I know that we’ve had really great experiences with our past student trustees, and we are looking forward to finding out who we will have the pleasure of working with,” she said. “I’m extremely proud of all of you for putting your names forward. That takes a lot of courage.”

Student trustees have the same opportunities to participate in meetings and committees with elected and appointed Trustees; however, their votes are non-binding.

The TVDSB, together with its Board of Trustees, congratulates all the candidates who put their name forward to be part of the election.  

County student trustee candidates

Kaeven Cormier – North Middlesex District High School, Parkhill

Katelyn Dimoff – Parkside Collegiate Institute St. Thomas

Emily Gyurki – Huron Park Secondary School, Woodstock

Charlotte Hawkins – Medway Secondary School, Arva

Hazel Nicholson – Central Elgin Collegiate Institute, St. Thomas

Emma Palade – Woodstock Collegiate Institute, Woodstock

Thayde Rutledge – East Elgin Secondary School, Aylmer

Sofia Snow – Arthur Voaden Secondary School, St. Thomas

Shivani Vimal (Incumbent) - Lord Dorchester Secondary School, Dorchester

City of London student trustee candidates

Teanique Ashton - Clarke Road Secondary School

Fatema Barkoumi –Westminster Secondary School

Anushka Bist – Oakridge Secondary School

Safiya Chaudhary – Saunders Secondary School

Holimetre Kasiko – Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School