When Stanford Pugsley was 12 years old, he earned his Eagle Scout badge, two months after the minimum age limit for such an accomplishment. Now that he's 16, the junior at Highland High School in Salt Lake City has taken on another challenge: He's the youngest person ever to be appointed to the Salt Lake School Board.
It's a heady accolade, but it wasn't visions of fame that prompted Stan to seek appointment to the board - it was a real interest in being involved in the democratic process. As a matter of fact, he's a little shy about the recognition that's resulted."I just hope that by doing this, others will follow my example and get involved," Stan explained in a Church News interview. "If I can do any good by being on the board, it would be to show that it's possible to have an influence."
No stranger to being involved, Stan is a member of the swim team, water polo team, tennis team and debate team, and of the Student Senate. He sings in the Highland Junior Choir and is running for student body vice president.
On top of that, he maintains a 3.9 grade point average, is secretary of his priests quorum, and holds a part-time job.
"He's a real goer," said Stan's bishop, Dan S. Gardiner of the Parleys 6th Ward, Salt Lake Parleys Stake. "He's an outstanding young man, very active in Scouting, and has held leadership positions in all the Aaronic Priesthood quorums. His whole family are just outstanding people."
According to Stan, it was his parents and the Church who taught him what to place first in his life and "how to fit everything into a schedule." His mother, Margaret, is the stake Young Women president, and his father, Philip, a former bishop, balances his responsibilities as an attorney with his calling as Scoutmaster.
"They have their priorities straight," said Stan of his parents. Of his father in particular, he added, "He's just a good leader. He likes to get things done."
Like father, like son.
When his brother Mark, who worked at the State Legislature as an intern for the Utah Educational Association, came home one day and told Stan about a little-known law that allowed students to be on local school boards, his interest was piqued.
"I started to get excited about it," he said. "I passed out a petition at school the [law requires 500 signatures], and got a lot of questions about what in the world I was up to. Many didn't know what exactly [the school board] was, but they all supported me."
After submitting the petition, the blond-haired, blue-eyed teenager was appointed to the school board on April 3.
Though the law had existed since 1986, it was relatively obscure, which is one reason Stan thinks he was the first to make use of it in Salt Lake City.
"I doubt many high school students have been reading in the Utah Code lately," he said with a smile.
With three high schools, five junior high schools, and about 30 grade schools under its jurisdiction, the Salt Lake School Board meets twice a month and discusses "interesting issues, like funding for programs," explained Stan.
"The meetings aren't as boring as many would think," he said. "I don't know too much about the agenda they have yet, but in a couple of months I hope to know more about the issues and give them my point of view."
Though he is unable to vote due to his age, at least "I'll be able to recommend what I think is the best thing. . . . I think it's important that the students have a say. It seems like [the board] is making rules about us, but none of them are in school. It's like the U.S. Congress being made up of Canadians."
After graduation next year, Stan's future plans include a mission, and then college. "Beyond that, I have no idea," he said.
For now, though, he has plenty of activities to keep him busy.
