The nervous freshman, dressed in khakis with a blue nametag, shuffles down the hallway, trying his best to avoid eye contact with any upperclassman and concentrating on his upcoming interview with the student council moderator. This young man hopes to impress the moderator, using his ideas to gain votes needed to win the election.
The Jesuit student council program welcomed three new members, Buck Poppolo, Will Woodard, and Jack Dexter, whom will be representing the freshman class of 2019. Their newfound responsibilities will range from attending meetings and contributing ideas for student council planned events to reporting specific problems or concerns from the freshmen class, that the council will address.
Student council moderator Mr. Colin Hanley praised the freshmen members, noting that “They are a good group. They are energetic. They have some pretty good ideas, and I think they seem pretty eager to work with the upperclassmen,” qualities that are key to a coherent and productive student council team.
Now, let’s meet some of the freshmen who represent their class on the student council.
First up, Jack Dexter is the freshmen President on student council, and seems to have a grip on his specific responsibilities as the leader of the class, since he “plan[s] to run the position effectively by actively addressing suggestions sent in by the student body.” When asked about his plans or ideas for improving his fellow brothers’ experiences during their first year at Jesuit, he wants “to have more advertisement of student-run clubs, and to get the change machine fixed.” He believes he will successfully run his position because he’ll “be able to relate to [his] peers because [he himself is] a member of clubs and participates in time-consuming activities.” Lastly, Dexter appreciates his opportunity to work with the upperclassmen in student council because he “knows [he’ll] be making a difference not only for my class but also for classes later on,” a realization that many student council members fail to recognize when crafting their ideas for the school.
Next, Will Woodard is the Vice President for the freshmen class and pledges to “effectively run [his] position by bringing up new ideas for the student council to consider.” Having a different mindset than Dexter when planning his goals, Woodard wants “to get the student body, mostly freshmen, more involved in the athletic events they attend.” He further commented that his plan “will increase their (freshmen) involvement in the school,” trying to make the new students feel welcome and included in a brand new school. Lastly, Woodard expressed his admiration and appreciation for his ability to work with the other students, saying “It gives me a look behind the great events the school plans. I have enjoyed all of student council and look forward to the rest of the year.”
Finally, Buck Poppolo, acting as Class Representative, promises to give one hundred and ten percent effort when executing his position, pledging to “run my position to my best ability and then some.” When searching for ideas or problems to present to the upperclassmen in the council, Poppolo looked to his “fellow classmates for things they wanted [him] to fix or change.” He further elaborated on his chosen issues, noting that “The big ones (issues) are a better smelling upper B-hallway bathroom, and a working change machine in the cafeteria.” He shares not only similar interests with Dexter but also the same work ethic, as Poppolo promises “to try [his] hardest to make sure one or both things get done.” Finally, he expressed his appreciation for the student council and the people who make it up, commenting that he “loves it a lot and can’t wait to work with everyone for the rest of the year and hopefully for future years.”
Be sure to check out The Roundup for all of your Student Council news and coverage!