By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Christiansburg High School student Kendall Lewis now has a new title added to her name. After a busy winter sports season where the junior played basketball and ran indoor track, she has now become a member of the town’s recreation commission as a student representative.
Brad Epperly, the director of the Christiansburg Recreation Department, said the student representatives of the Parks and Recreation Commission act as the voice of Christiansburg High School students.
“This provides us with a great connection to the high school student population and helps our department learn about what types of recreational experiences this age-group desires,” he said.
Two high school students serve on the commission and are recommended by the school’s athletic director. Each representative serves on a rotating basis for a year.
“This gives the incoming member an opportunity to learn from a peer. In the past, the student representatives have brought a great deal of knowledge and understanding to the many decisions that the commission is tasked with making. The student representatives are valued members of our commission, our department and our town,” Epperly said.
Lewis is excited about the new opportunity and said she wanted to try something different.
“I’ve never done anything dealing with a committee, and I wanted to be more active in the community,” she said.
The student feels the recreation could do better in providing better outdoor recreation places. “I feel like they should have more teams, and more classes that appeal to the youth than the adults.”
Lewis participated in recreation basketball, growing up in the town. In high school, she is a member of the basketball and track teams.