With the close of another school year comes exciting end-of-year events. One of these is the election of the new class presidents for the next year, and students are already preparing for it. Students from all four grades participate in the elections, either by running for the presidency or voting for whomever they feel should win. The role of class president is incredibly enticing, from the title to the leadership opportunity to the prospect of putting it on a college resume. But what really goes into being a class president, and how does the position affect those who take it on? Especially for prospective students who may not have prior experience in leadership roles, dealing with elections and living up to campaign promises can be overwhelming. To break it down, I interviewed the current sophomore class presidents, Cessarina Choo and Miguel Chicas, two people who, despite being new to leadership, managed to overwhelmingly win the election and are using their positions to make an impact on the school.
When I asked them if they felt that their leadership roles had shaped their views on the school, they both responded affirmatively. They described a perspective shift, getting to see how things were done and events set up. “It felt like I gained a lot of responsibility,” said Miguel. However with the pressure of responsibility there was also reassurance as “it was really nice seeing how everyone, from the students to the teachers, came together to plan events such as the C day” remarked Cessarina.
Their favorite part of the role was the election and campaign process, although it was an incredibly new experience Miguel recalls how he loved “rallying people behind 2 people, and seeing the outright support.” The election process is also when the candidates (or future presidents) get the most time in the spotlight and the most hype. For Cessarina, the anticipation was incredibly exciting and anxiety-inducing, in a good way.
Both Miguel and Cessarina emphasized their improvements in public speaking throughout the experience, as they were “coming up with responses on the fly, especially outside of school, during high school fairs, introductions, and tours and open houses.” Cessarina also mentioned the increased interconnectivity she felt as a result of her time as president, “I got to know more people, and I felt more comfortable meeting new people, more people also got to know me and it helped me open up.” Being a president is more than just the title; it’s a valuable experience and a gateway that opens up opportunities.
Regarding their duties after the elections, they found it difficult to fulfill all of their campaign promises. There have been a lot of unforeseen obstacles and pressure to meet expectations that are typical of a president. The title of president demands a lot, and many people forget that, in the end, it’s still student leadership. However, Cessarina and Miguel managed to expand the school’s mental health department largely by making the mental health facilities, specifically the wellness center, more welcoming and accessible to all. They also increased advertising for mental health through a combination of social media and their campaign, which was their main promise. Yet they both felt slightly unsatisfied: “I really wish that we had more of a platform to speak out about underclassmen issues because it felt like the seniors really had most of the voice in student leadership, which I get, but it made me feel like I had less of an impact in comparison.”
Finally, they advised future students looking to take on the role of president that “if you want to run, make sure you have a purpose, make your voice heard and make sure you have initiative, especially don’t run just for the sake of putting it on a resume, presidents should be leaders who can evoke change.”
Taking on the presidency may be daunting, but it is also an opportunity for many normal students to make themselves stand out and create change within the school. The role is an amazing opportunity for those who are passionate about it. I wish all of this year’s candidates good luck in their campaigns.