Annually, Jesuit freshmen decide on whom they want to represent their class. Hopefully, this article will provide freshmen with a good sense of who the candidates are. In turn, this will help the freshmen voters in their decision making.

THE CANDIDATES

Luke Wilson:

Through the student council I can pursue being a man for others and enhance my foundation of being a leader here at Jesuit. I have this mindset and goal, but also passion for helping others. Currently, I am a member of the Hope Squad. While working for the Hope Squad, I have been given unique opportunities to help bring awareness towards mental help and help those struggling. I am also a manager on the freshmen basketball team, which gives me the fundamental structures essential in building confidence to lead.  

With this being said, I would implement mental health Mondays which would consist of reflections in the Examen which would drive the students to think about their own mental health. In addition, I would work to implement spirit dress days on the first Friday of every month.  Furthermore, I would work to bring back the drum line lining the hallways during dismissal on varsity game days in order to build school spirit. 

I believe I possess the communication, organization, service, and work ethic qualities which are needed to be able to effectively lead the Freshman class and the community which builds the brotherhood here at Jesuit. If elected, I vow to serve the Jesuit Dallas community to the best of my ability and look forward to making new relationships to further my brotherhood here at Jesuit.

 

Mathis Valenta:

Within the few months of having been at Jesuit, I have established deep connections with a variety of students in our community; I am proud to be friends with kids who consider themselves athletes and chess players, musicians and debaters, introverts and extroverts. At Jesuit, I have established a camaraderie not only with my freshman class but also with sophomores and upper classmen. Through these connections, I will be able to approach challenges from a variety of perspectives and represent our community holistically. I am committed to upholding Jesuit’s long-standing traditions while mindfully addressing any of its possible shortcomings.

Currently, I represent Jesuit as a member of the tennis team. Our team consists of a range of levels and classes, and yet we always support one another as teammates and friends. I have been exploring other ways to get involved at Jesuit, too. I have started to write for The Roundup and play in the chess club.

I believe that every student should feel comfortable to participate in school events and activities without feeling embarrassed or socially isolated. My goal as a member of the student council is to include my peers and give them the opportunity to feel being a part of the school. As someone who attended a non-feeder school, I can sympathize with students who did not arrive with a robust social circle.

When I have participated on national tennis teams in the past, I have often been selected by the coaches to serve as captain. They saw me as an inclusive, supportive, motivating, disciplined, and organized leader. They knew I would take care of my team and advocate for them, just as I promise to be there for my peers.

 

Nathan Long:

Why should I be elected?  I have experience. I was student body vice president at my previous school, St. Rita. I know what being a high-school student means and the struggles that come with it, I know how to relate to my fellow classmates and how to improve their experience at Jesuit. Lastly, I know what it means to be a part of Jesuit, to take pride in wearing the name Jesuit across my chest at a football game or even having someone stop me to tell me their positive relationship with the school. I represent Jesuit by trying to be the best version of myself everyday, whether that be getting a good grade on a test or as simple as picking up my trash at Chick-Fil-A. 

One of my ways of improving Jesuit, is by getting more information on students’ personal lives, to help them balance between academics, sports, extracurricular, and personal life problems. 

One of my leadership qualities is, I am able to hold someone accountable for what they have done and be able to find the “Why” in what they have done. Secondly, I go against the crowd, I don’t just follow and do what everyone else does, I look at the long term effect of that certain thing. Finally, I am able to hold myself accountable and be able to admit that someone is right, and I am wrong.

 

Andrew Ditchman:

I want to be part of the student council because I want to play more of a role in my school, and at the same time, I would greatly benefit from this leadership opportunity. Student council would teach me new skills, which will help me later on in my life. I am a creative person that is also hard-working, and I feel I could bring many unique ideas to the school while participating in a role bigger than myself. I am very proud of being a Jesuit student and I always try to represent my school in the best way I can, by being the kind, funny, and outgoing person that I am. I push myself every day to try to live up to the Jesuit standard, and this makes me better. 

I have many ideas to improve Jesuit for the future, one is pep rallies. I believe more pep rallies would bring our school closer together, and at the same time, it would make more kids want to go to sporting events. This would benefit our school because our whole school would be energized and excited. While at the same time it would bring more awareness, and excitement around the game that would happen later that day, resulting in more ticket sales. 

Some leadership qualities that make me qualified to represent the class of 2026 are communication, and hard work. Lacrosse has helped me learn communication because it is a hard sport that requires a whole team to take action in order to win. In the past, I have had to communicate with my teammates a lot, so I’ve learned how to become a vocal leader through lacrosse. Also, I learned how to work hard through many things including school, sports, and helping out with my family, so over many years I have become a very hard worker. 

In conclusion, I want to run for student council because I want to be more involved with my school, and I know I will learn many skills from the student council. Also, I know I would be a good candidate because I have learned many leadership skills in the past.

 

William Wayne:

I am confident that I will be a good addition to the student council because I am an exceptional leader. At my previous school, I was part of the student council and became one of the top leaders in 8th grade. In that position, I helped plan dances, games at lunch, field day, and much more. This experience will help me fulfill the duties of a student council rep such as, plan mixers and other events at Jesuit. I represent Jesuit on the tennis team, the Jesuit Smokies BBQ club, and have also served several times at Soul Church. 

If I am elected into the student council, I believe that I am well positioned to connect with people and identify how to make Jesuit an even better place. I am friends with so many different groups of people that it would be easy for me to reach out and hear what people are saying. For example, while only being at Jesuit for a few months, I have already noticed one change that everyone would like to see –  more frequent dressed down days. It would be such a positive change of pace from our regular dress code that I know people would embrace. 

In conclusion, I believe I would be a great addition to the Jesuit student council because I strive to live out the Profile of the Graduate everyday, and I have the experience and diverse group of friendships to represent the entire class of 2026.

 

Henry French:

Ever since my first visit to Jesuit, I knew that it is a very special place. The motto “Men for Others” really resonated with me and it became my mission to one day walk these halls as a Jesuit student and to also become a Man for Others. I am passionate about serving others and I have a strong desire to serve our school and to serve my Jesuit brothers. One way to accomplish this is to serve my fellow students through  involvement in the Student Council to help create the most positive experience for everyone at Jesuit. 

I have become very active in the Jesuit community in my short time here. At  Friday night football games you’ll find me at the grill cooking burgers for the BBQ Club, during community time, you might see me playing chess with fellow chess club members. I am in the Culinary Club, and I also play football and rugby.

Through the leadership roles I have held previously, such as School Ambassador, Class Representative, Student Council Vice President, and my current position as Young Men’s Service League Freshman Class President, I have gained valuable experience and insight as to what it means to be a great leader. My strongest skills include being an effective communicator and hard-working. I promise to represent our Freshman class to the best of my abilities and with integrity and respect for all. I am approachable, a good listener, and promise to collaborate with my classmates, and communicate effectively with upperclassmen and faculty to create innovative solutions, create ideas and effectively manage projects for the benefit of the Freshman class. If you choose to elect me to represent the Freshman class, I promise to be a Man for Others as I serve my Freshman brothers and the Jesuit community.

 

Alex Ramsey:

I have really enjoyed being a part of the Jesuit community, and I want to give back by becoming a member of the student council. I should be elected to the Student Council because I bring a variety of skills and assets that would be crucial to running a both efficient and effective student body. In middle school, I was the president of St. Rita’s branch of the National Junior Honors Society. Therefore I have a level of experience in public speaking and leadership. In addition, I would be a dedicated member of the Council, working to make Jesuit an open, welcoming community that fosters the profile of a Jesuit Graduate. 

Currently, I represent Jesuit mainly through my participation in debate and the Entrepreneurship Club; I am also a member of the Chinese and Esports clubs. 

When it comes to making Jesuit an open and welcoming community, I think that it is important for there to be interactions with other grades. From my experience as a Freshman, I have noticed that most of us stick to the kids in our own grade, with only a few people I know making good friends in the upper grades. As a potential solution to this, I would suggest holding monthly events in the Jesuit stadium after school where students would be placed in teams that included all grades levels to compete, possibly for prizes. 

Finally, I possess many of the qualities necessary to run a successful Student Council. I am both a determined and dedicated individual, and will be committed to helping Jesuit become the most welcoming brotherhood possible. I perform well at public speaking, and I work well with others, allowing me to make sure information is properly communicated to all of the necessary parties. I am also hard working, and will be dedicated to my tasks as a Student Council representative.

 

Thomas Andrews:

I would like to be elected to the Student Council because I am committed to Jesuit, hard-working, and determined. Jesuit has always been my dream high school. I have lived in the neighborhood most of my life and have been to countless Jesuit events. Now, I am determined to come to Jesuit and become elected as Class Officer.

I represent my school, Jesuit, by playing football and wearing the school name proudly on my chest everywhere I go. I also represent my school by being a man for others everywhere—-at Boy Scouts by helping the younger boys set up their tents, or by helping my fellow classmates by tutoring them for tests.

My plan is to do my best to make Jesuit, which is already an amazing place, even better and to treat everyone with the respect they deserve. I will join clubs and take on leadership positions in those clubs and be a person that students can look to as a good role model.

The qualities that I have to represent my class have been introduced and refined by Boy Scouts, as I recently completed training to become a servant leader at an Introduction To Leadership Skills(ILST) campout. I have developed many leadership skills through my eight years of scouting experience. My scouting experience includes teaching younger scouts every week by helping them complete requirements and leading them further in their scouting career. My leadership skills also developed during my eighth grade year, as a Student Council Class Officer, where I was responsible for morning announcements, managing the flags, running fire drills, and meeting with administration daily. 

I welcome the opportunity to continue applying my leadership skills to serve as your Jesuit Student Council Representative. GO RANGERS!!

 

Alan Ramirez:

Personally speaking I believe that I should be elected for the circumstances that: I enjoy helping people shine, I can encourage people to bring out the best that they can and improve, I believe in teamwork, but most of all because even though I am very gifted and talented I owe it all to the people who taught me and most importantly God. At this current moment I have not yet represented our school in any major ways, yet I look forward to representing Jesuit once Volleyball season comes around. I also look forward to representing Jesuit in wrestling. I want to join spring football since I did not get a chance to join at the beginning of the year. 

If I were to join the council I would like to give Spanish speaking families more opportunities to get to know Jesuit completely. In my experience my parents did not really get to fully experience Jesuit, because of the language barrier. Although we do have programs to support these families, they are not always there. Therefore as part of the council I want to help break the language barrier not just for Spanish speakers but for anybody else that needs help. 

My qualities as a leader are still evolving, but currently my strongest assets are my quick thinking, intelligence and wisdom, and my understanding. I am also an overachiever, which means that I like to go over my limits and see how far I can really grow. I believe that by joining the student council I will be able to show families that language is not a barrier.

 

Ethan Irrobali:

I believe that I should be elected as a freshman class candidate because of my empathic ability to connect with others, the perspectives I have because of my involvement in extracurriculars, and the proposals that I will bring to the Council. Secondly, I believe in the Jesuit profile and the key is trying to understand people and what they need. Finally, I believe every day is an opportunity to build those relationships. That is what true brotherhood is all about and what my classmates deserve in a class officer. 

I have also tried to expand my extracurricular horizons. I currently participate in three sports, six clubs, serve the community, and strive for academic excellence. In speaking at the Jesuit Open House last weekend, I shared with potential incoming students the opportunities Jesuit has to offer. In my opinion, I believe that being involved is important in a class officer. 

I would also present specific proposals to the Council. For example, I would propose that freshmen be encouraged to participate in more than three service opportunities. Second, I would suggest looking for ways to increase the efficiency of the testing center to help with the overflow before and after school. If there is demand for extra help we should look for ways to provide that opportunity. 

If I am elected as the freshman class officer, I am committed to bringing my empathy, articulateness, humility, experiences, and suggestions to the table to start a dialogue with a group dedicated to deepening our brotherhood and bettering our campus.

 

Luke Patterson:

Student Council is so much more than just a college resume boost, it is a way to become more involved in the functions of Jesuit Dallas by being true men for others within our own school community. Student council is truly a blessing for the student body, as it allows each class to be represented by creating a student-led government, and shows the importance of young people voting for who they believe in, an essential part of being a citizen. 

I am ready to be elected because I have had experience in student led organizations before. During my middle school years, I was a student council representative for the year before the COVID-19 pandemic, and unfortunately the school never restarted the program. I was, however, the treasurer for my school’s chapter of NJHS last year, and I believe I can take some knowledge I gained from those experiences to be an influential representative. 

I would love to help and improve the arts departments and I would love to make motions for things like casual dress days if you would be willing to donate a few dollars to a good cause. Currently, I am involved in many different activities and organizations at Jesuit, some of which include music ministry, theater tech, volleyball, jazz band, and I am also one of the two freshmen representatives in the band. 

Responsibility is something that is important in any good leader, and I am willing and able to be responsible and do my duties for the council with commitment and dedication. I hope that this, combined with my experience and my accountability will make me a perfect fit for the student council.

 

Nate Fabriga:

My name is Nate Fabriga, and I believe that I would be a great addition to Jesuit’s Student Council. As an 8th Grader, I was elected as the President of my middle school’s Student Council.  The Student Council would run our school’s daily morning prayer and announcements. In addition, we hosted events like the annual movie night and coordinated four middle school dances and we held fundraisers for our school and a sister parish in Manto, Honduras.

As a student of Jesuit Dallas, I am part of the volleyball team and currently trying out for the soccer team. I joined the math club, hoping to represent my school in the TXML competitions. As a member of the Student Council, I plan to give our school the best environment possible. This can be done by influencing others to thrive in our school and to inspire them to help others as well. With this multitude of men for others, we can successfully create not just a school of boys, but a brotherhood.

I believe that I possess the three main characteristics of a suitable leader for our school. First, I am teachable. With this trait, I am able to allow myself to listen to my peers and acknowledge their ideas in order to benefit from everyone in the room. Second, I am available. In order to help any community I take part in, I make myself available for those who need my help. Finally, I am contagious. A proper leader should not only have good moral values, but he should be able to spread these ideas properly. I believe that I have the ability to not just complete helpful deeds for others, but to inspire others to do the same.

 

Brandon Bang:

Creativity is an essential quality for a strong leader. In our time, things are very ambiguous; they are likely to cause ambivalent moments and create uncertainty throughout the environment. “I do not seek. I find” is a famous quote from Pablo Picasso. Our leader should be able to find our way to succeed. I am full of creative ideas, diligent, and enthusiastic. There are areas where I can help to make a difference, such as changing the perception of the freshmen class’ opinions being more irrelevant than upperclassmen. Therefore, I plan on joining the Student Council so I can help contribute to the success of the school especially in the areas of students’ thoughts being voiced. I am willing to take on responsibility and be an active participant.

As a member of the Student Council, I would take pride in representing the school and would be a positive role model to the student body. I also represent my school by partaking in the Jesuit Roundup (newspaper), band, and Medical Society. A leader needs to be involved in many different activities to get a well-rounded perspective. I am also willing to take on any tasks that are assigned to me and complete them in a timely and efficient manner. Furthermore, I have good communication skills and work well with others. Because Jesuit Dallas is selective to open-minded individuals, I consider my peer’s opinions and suggestions very highly. I will also work diligently to listen to the voice of the student body to ensure that we are making the changes that they desire to see. 

To be an effective leader, it is important to be able to listen to others and hear their suggestions.

 

Eddie Weis:

My name is Eddie Weis. I am running for Freshman student council. I want to represent you and I care about this community. Pursuing the Jesuit trait MAGIS (to thirst for more for the greater good, and to respond to the challenges of our time), I’ll serve as a communicator and mediator between you, the student body and the faculty, and work to strengthen student-to-staff understanding and communications. This includes not only accurately interpreting the goals and wishes from the community, but furthermore, advocating for and working to solve the faced challenges until we see change happen. I represent Jesuit by volunteering at Hillcrest house and playing on the Freshman Football team, through these things I learned the importance of brotherhood and empathy. Though presently I am not involved in leadership positions at Jesuit, as a Freshman, my journey is just beginning. If I am voted Freshman student council Representative, I’ll develop skills like leadership, communication, and teamwork, which can be put in use back into the school. 

As a representative, I’d like to take on initiatives, things like making Jesuit a more accommodating place, starting with Thomas Cuisine, who I’d like to work with to better cater to people with allergies and religious reasons, or more power outlet access/fixing power outlets in common areas especially in Hughes’ Hall. 

I am qualified to take on these ideas and many more because I’m reliable, responsible, approachable, and straightforward. I will be hardworking for the people and get the job done.

CONCLUSION

Hopefully, these candidates’ reflections will inform you who to vote for. Freshmen, remember to vote for your class representatives!

Stay tuned to The Roundup for more STUCO news and elections!