Unless you have not been at school and have not been checking your phone for the past few weeks, you would know that student council co-president elections for the 2023-2024 year are taking place! Whether you are walking towards the cafeteria, into the school building, or around the foyer, there are constant reminders of the fact that you have a choice in voting for people that you believe will do what is needed. But, do you even know your candidates as well as you should? If you don’t, the Sentinel Sun has got you covered. We have interviewed all four candidates, and here is what they have to say:
Jaron Cyna
You might already know Jaron’s bright character from his campaign videos on his Instagram page, but there is more to what he can provide for you guys.
1. We first asked him about the major goal of his campaign:
“With my campaign, I hope to create an atmosphere that fosters relaxation in between the inevitable stress of school. I will do this by having fun events and friendly competitions that will serve as much-needed breaks for people.”
2. Although the majority of events will take place next year, there is something Jaron would like to do before the year ends:
“I will personally bring Beyblades to school, and I will play a round with whoever would like to during an X-block.”
3. But, what makes Jaron’s campaign different? To answer this question, Jaron talked about his biggest event he plans to run next year:
“A day called teacher swap, where all teachers will be asked if they would be willing to swap classes randomly with another teacher and the teachers that approve this will be selected to teach a random class for a day. This could create some pretty interesting experiences for both the students and the teachers that I think would be pretty entertaining.”
4. On a more sentimental note, you guys should be aware of Jaron’s motive and purpose as to why he wants to be your student council co-president:
“Our time at Sentinel is short, and ultimately the things that will stick with us in a few years are the fun events and special days. Of course, even if I were to be elected, I do not have the power to give people these experiences myself, but it’s more about giving people the opportunity to make memories.”
5. And lastly, how will Jaron’s monitoring of the student council be different from previous years? To answer this question, he says:
“I would like to space events out more than in previous years, where it seemed most events happened within a couple of weeks of each other, and, let's be honest here, no one can handle that many events all at once.”
Ally Ow
1. We asked Ally what the main goal of her campaign is, and here is what she had to say:
“My campaign's main goal is to connect the Spartan community. I plan to do this by bringing back our Spartan spirit through a series of events such as pep rallies, spirit week, and theme days.”
2. I am sure a lot of you are envisioning a spiritful coming year, and you might want to know just how spiritful it can possibly get. So, Ally talks about the most major event she will be running next year:
“A major event I plan on hosting next year is the Spartan Back to School Carnival. It will consist of games like pie throw, dunk tank, and most importantly free food: barbeque, popcorn and more!”
3. Nonetheless, having experience on the student council is important. So, Ally talks about her personal student council experience :
“My experience on student council has been so insightful on how our school runs and is a great way to connect with students of all grades :) For any student interested in getting to know the Spartan community better, I highly recommend applying!”
4. But do you know what is even more important than having experience? A passion for helping students and having the drive to make it a golden year, and this is what Ally wants to speak to:
“Being on student council for the past two years has allowed me to speak to students about events they want and what they hope the Sentinel community can be, and this is what drives me to make the school better! So that all of us can have the best year ever :)”
5. Some of you may have had critiques of the student council this year, or perhaps you would like to see it run differently next year. So, we asked Ally what she would do differently than our co-presidents this year, and this is what she had to say:
"Something I am super excited to bring in is a larger media team for Sentinel so we can take more pictures for school and sports events. I also plan on introducing a Google Calendar for all students to see our students council events and a Google form so students can give us feedback and ideas :)”
If you have any questions to ask Ally or if you are curious to know more about her campaign, check out her Instagram here: https://instagram.com/voteallyow?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Username: voteallyow
Arta Zakhireh
Arta has been putting out very creative content on her Instagram for everyone to get to know her campaign better, but here is a more tangible one-on-one conversation we were able to have with her:
1. This question is a classic as you may have noticed: what are the major goals of Arta’s campaign? Here is what she has to say:
“As a Persian girl running for high school president, my campaign is centered around bringing positive change, fostering a vibrant spirit, and ensuring better representation for brown girls in our school community. My major goals revolve around creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and included. I aim to enhance school spirit by organizing engaging events, such as multicultural festivals, talent shows, and spirit weeks that celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our student body. By amplifying the voices and experiences of brown girls, I will strive to promote cultural awareness and appreciation by organizing educational workshops, and inviting guest speakers to foster a greater understanding of different cultures. Through increased representation, I hope to inspire and empower other brown girls to step into leadership roles, while fostering a sense of unity and pride among all students.”
2. We have already been over the high value associated with passion and care for the student body, and that is what Arta also wants to speak on:
“My passion is driven by a combination of personal experiences, a desire for positive change, and a commitment to creating a more interconnected school community. Witnessing the impact of a lack of spirit and fun in the school environment has inspired me to bring about an optimistic change that enhances the overall high school experience for all students. My goal is to make Sentinel a place for everyone by introducing events, celebrations, and festivals we have not seen before to foster unity. I hope to do so with the help of student engagement and involvement.”
3. But, the real question is, what changes would she bring that have not yet been witnessed in the past few years? Well, to this point Arta says:
“I plan on hosting a monthly Google form that asks students about which events/changes they would like to see at our school. By doing so, I will improve the communication between administration, teachers, students, and the council. Communication is ultimately the foundation of running for president– so this is super important to me!”
4. You guys may have all noticed Arta’s unique approach to her campaign–it is often comedic, engaging and interactive. So, she speaks on her campaign style so you can get to know her character more:
“The process of choosing my campaign style involved reflecting on my own experiences gained through my leadership opportunities and gathering insights from fellow students through surveys and discussions. Based on their desires for more spirit, fun, and representation, I decided to create an engaging and inclusive campaign that celebrates diversity and empowers students. I chose bright colours to appeal to the student body, engaging social media trends, and tried to create a fun environment for everyone during the campaign journey :)”
If you have any questions to ask Arta or if you are curious to know more about her campaign, check out her Instagram @arta4prez!
Maya Ramji
And last, but certainly not least, Maya Ramji! Here is what Maya had to say for each of our questions:
1. Can you tell us a bit about the major goals of your campaign?
“One of my main goals is to raise school spirit. I plan on raising school spirit through increasing the number of events, as well as student engagement at these events. For example, I intend on having Sport Days which are always a fun way of getting everyone involved! To have more participation in theme days and spirit days, I want to have more prizes and consistency with events. Theme days would be on the last Friday of every month, so students always know when they are! I will also have additional prizes for the best dressed that can be voted on by students through the Sentinel Instagram. Another idea that I plan to bring to school next year is snack days! This would be a couple days throughout the year where we hand out snacks to help decrease stress and provide a pick me up for students!”
2. What will be the most major event you will run next year?
“The most major event I will run next year will be the Sport Days. Sport Days will be grade based, where students can play a huge variety of games and sports with their grade. And of course, there will be lots of snacks and prizes!”
3. How has your experience been so far on the student council?
"I have been on student council since grade 8 and I have always loved it! When I joined in grade 8 it was a really fun way for me to get involved and meet new people! Through student council, I have had firsthand experience in planning lots of fun Sentinel events, such as the haunted house, singing grams and holly week. This past year I became the student council vice president and it was a really good learning experience as to what the presidents do, how to run meetings and plan events! I’m excited to continue our Sentinel traditions and also make new ones!"
4. What drives your passion for making a fun year for Sentinel students?
"As a part of the student council and yearbook team over the past several years, I’ve seen how much school spirit Sentinel has when we have events that are engaging and fun for everyone! As part of the yearbook team, I get to see the huge range of amazing activities we have at Sentinel! Working on the yearbook team to capture all the Sentinel memories throughout the school year has made me passionate about ensuring a fun and spirit-filled experience for all Sentinel students.
Additionally, I have years of student council experience, which has enabled me to gain experience by learning more about what goes into planning and executing our events. From this, I know how to plan engaging events that are inclusive to all Sentinel students. After being involved in planning these events over the past years, as well as learning about and helping to document all school activities with the yearbook team, I feel I know what I can do to ensure that everyone has an amazing next year!"
5. What things will you do differently from our previous student council presidents if you get elected?
"One thing that I want to do differently is have more school wide events like karaokes! Those events always bring our school community together in a fun and inclusive way! I also want to create a way for Sentinel students to voice their opinions more often for what they want in our school. This could be done through a suggestion box,social media, or even Google forms through grad Google classrooms! I want to ensure that there are multiple ways for students to voice their opinions, suggestions and feedback, and I will ensure that that is taken into account!"
If you have any questions to ask Maya or if you are curious to know more about her campaign, check out her instagram @votemayaramji.
Well, Sentinel, you’ve heard it! These are the key points your student council co-president candidates wanted to touch on, and now, the ball is in your court. Make a decision for how fun of a school year you can have next year by voting on your grad Google classroom from Monday, June 5th to Wednesday, June 7th.
Let’s see what collective decision we can all make to have an amazing 2023-2024 school year.
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