SOUTH EL MONTE — Student Voice On Board takes a new form this school year as South El Monte High School junior Mia Arteaga joins El Monte Union High School District leadership. Arteaga took the oath as a student board member Sept. 2, with her family present for the occasion.
Arteaga joins South El Monte High senior Tessa Ocegueda as the district’s two student representatives for the 2026-27 school year. The pair will bring student perspectives to district leaders while learning how public education governance works.
The district selected Arteaga for the junior position earlier this year. She also serves as vice president of the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council. Ocegueda serves as the senior student board member and council president.
El Monte Union announced their leadership roles after the council’s May 18 meeting. Arteaga was appointed junior student board member, while Ocegueda was elected to the senior position.
Student Voice On Board Connects Campuses
The Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council gives students a forum to discuss school experiences, concerns and ideas with district administrators. The group also allows district leaders to hear directly from students across their campuses.
That perspective can differ from those of administrators, teachers and trustees. Students experience district programs through classrooms, extracurricular activities and daily interactions with their peers.
Student representatives can share those experiences during conversations about district priorities. They can also explain district programs and decisions to classmates.
The district expanded its student representation model during the 2025-26 school year. Ashley Yu and Ocegueda became the first two students sworn in together as student board members. Both attended South El Monte High School. The district said they represented nearly 7,200 students.
More information about district leadership is available through the El Monte Union High School District Board of Trustees page.
Leadership Experience Continues
Ocegueda’s move into the senior position creates continuity between school years. She previously served as the junior student board member and vice president of the advisory council.
During that year, Ocegueda participated in district discussions while maintaining leadership roles at South El Monte High. The district previously identified her as junior class and Class of 2027 Club president and an Associated Student Body member.
Arteaga now enters the junior position with an opportunity to build similar experience. Her role places her alongside trustees during a year of decisions involving programs, facilities and other district priorities.
The advisory council has already provided students with opportunities to participate in those discussions. Students met with district administrators and architects in September 2025 to provide input on a facilities master plan update.
For Arteaga, the Sept. 2 oath marked the formal start of her board service. Student Voice On Board gives her and Ocegueda a direct connection between South El Monte students and district leadership.
Their participation also gives classmates a visible example of civic engagement. As the school year moves forward, both students will have opportunities to bring peer experiences into discussions that affect campuses across El Monte Union.
