This past week, on Monday and Tuesday, the new 9th graders voted for their class council members. There were eight candidates in total: Alison Vandergon, Samara D’Souza, Ahriniy Gonzalez, Ave Wilson, Gavin Miller, Kia Massey, Avery Novitsky, and Ava Milanovich.

After a few exciting weeks of campaigning, Alison Vandergon was elected as the freshman class president. She wanted to run because she wanted to see the 9th-grade class come together as a community now rather than as seniors mere months before they graduate. 

Vandergon explains more, saying that “[she’s] hoping to create a bigger sense of community as a school, instead of having different cliques and stuff, so we can all be friends.” 

Samara D’Souza also won the election, being voted as freshman class vice president. She is ecstatic to be working alongside the other freshmen who are also a part of the 9th-grade council. 

D’Souza talks about her motivation as to why she wanted to run, saying, “I wanted this position because I like helping out and I like being a leader, I like planning activities and getting to show people our school, and I thought it would be a fun thing to do!” 

Samara put a lot of hard work into her ballot and kept a positive outlook while doing so. In the process of campaigning, she did her best to remember that even if she didn’t make it this year, she had three more years to keep trying.

D’Souza proclaimed, “My expectations are that people will be inclusive and kind and respect other people’s ideas and bring their own ideas to create more big ideas for our school.”

Along with the newly elected president and vice president, Ahriniy Gonzalez, Ava Milanovich, and Avery Novitsky were elected as part of the freshman class council members. Everyone is excited to bring new ideas and have an impact on their new school.