Fresh blood will be infused into the Ceres Unified School District Board of Trustees this winter with 21-year-old Alondra Reyes, believed to be the youngest ever to serve on that body.

And she’s getting the seat without a single vote. 

The California State Stanislaus student was the lone candidate for the Trustee Area 4 seat to replace Faye Lane who is retiring after spending 16 years on the board. The change-out will take place in December.

Reyes will be appointed by the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors in lieu of an election.

“I was really interested in what it had to offer so I decided to apply,” said Reyes. “I just really want to give back to the community and I feel like this is a good way.”

Reyes, the daughter of Maria Barrazas and Baldemar Reyes, has lived her entire life in Ceres and attended Don Pedro Elementary School, Blaker Kinser Jr. High School, and graduated from Central Valley High School in 2021.

COVID and the state shutdown of in-person learning in California schools interrupted any chance of Reyes to apply to serve as a student representative to the board while she was attending CVHS.

She was surprised that nobody else applied for the seat.

“I was a little nervous to see if somebody was going to run but I’m really excited that I was able to get that position.”

Reyes said she really enjoyed working as an ASES recreation leader and as a paraprofessional in the classroom.

“It was something that was really fun and it taught me a lot, especially I feel like in other aspects of life as well. It was a really good learning experience.”

Reyes is gearing her studies toward a career in public health, possibly in administration but she remains open to other possibilities.

Returning to the School Board unchallenged are incumbents Hugo Molina (Area 6) and Brian de la Porte (Area 1).

Other trustees on the School Board are Lourdes Perez (Area 5), Cynthia Ruiz (Area 2), Valli Wigt (Area 3) and Dave McConnell (Area 6).