LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Vanessa Li, an 11th-grade student at Leonardtown High School, has been elected as the next Student Member of the St. Mary’s County Public Schools Board of Education. The St. Mary’s Association of Student Councils announced the election results, with Li set to succeed the current student member, Hannah Heisler, also from Leonardtown High, on July 1, 2025. Li’s victory highlights her extensive leadership experience and commitment to representing student interests.
Li will bring a robust background in student governance to the board. She currently serves as president of the Principal’s Student Leadership Advisory Council at Leonardtown High School, managing over 40 student leaders and overseeing civic and school-related projects. She also holds vice president positions in both the St. Mary’s Association of Student Councils and the Leonardtown High School Student Government Association. Beyond her school, Li is the Division 5 Liaison for the Maryland Association of Student Councils, where she collaborates with student leaders from Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s counties, leads monthly meetings, attends regional assemblies, and coordinates a student leadership conference.
Her priorities as a board member include empowering students and increasing awareness of educational opportunities. Li aims to ensure students feel supported in pursuing their academic and personal interests. She also plans to deepen her understanding of the school district’s budget process and establish stronger communication channels between the Board of Education and the student body. Her role will involve providing a student perspective on district policies and participating in school-related activities.
Leonardtown High School Principal James Copsey III praised Li’s qualifications. “Vanessa’s background in student government and as a student leader will enable her to provide an informed perspective on school matters before the board,” he said. Kylie Teston, the school’s choir director, highlighted Li’s interpersonal skills. “Vanessa is a student leader who listens, understands, and advocates passionately for her peers,” Teston said, noting her ability to lead with empathy and insight.
Li’s leadership extends beyond academics. She is a soprano with eight years of training in classical and musical theater voice. Her accolades include a top 35 finish out of 350 competitors in the 2024 CS Vocal Competition semifinals and a second-place win in the Musical Theater High School Sophomore Treble Voice category at the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Regionals NATS Student Auditions. She has performed with the school’s chamber choir, Potomac Voices, which sang for Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and at a Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. Li also acts in school and community theater productions, with roles like Marcy Park in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” and Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz.”
St. Mary’s County Public Schools, serving over 17,000 students across 27 schools, according to its official website, integrates a student member into its Board of Education to ensure youth voices shape district decisions. Li joins a legacy of student representatives tasked with bridging the gap between administrators and the student population.
A California, Maryland, resident, Li is a member of the National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, and mentoring programs at Leonardtown High. As a junior set to graduate in 2026, she balances her academic, artistic, and leadership pursuits while volunteering at nursing homes and low-income elementary schools for music presentations. Her election underscores a growing emphasis on student involvement in educational governance, a trend seen across Maryland, where the Maryland Association of Student Councils fosters youth leadership statewide, per its mission statement.
Li’s term begins as St. Mary’s County Public Schools navigates budget planning and educational policy updates for the 2025-2026 school year. Her focus on collaboration and opportunity promises to amplify student input during her tenure.