Campaign posters, slogans, and conversations in the hall show that Student Body Officer (SBO) elections at Skyline High School have started. Students running for positions hope to represent their grade (or even the school) and help organize events for next school year. Some candidates this year include Frankie Chia, running for Junior class president, Miranda Park, running for Sophomore class president, and Sophie Heimburger, running for Sophomore class secretary.
Students running for office have to focus on a lot of aspects, such as leadership, communication, and school involvement, while explaining why they decided to campaign. Some candidates already have experience being in student government, such as Chia, who has been involved since his Freshman year as a vice president for this class. He said that his experience influenced his decision to run for a higher position. “After those years of experience, I feel ready to step up and lead my other officers for my grade,” he said.
Students who already serve as SBOs sometimes decide to run again after gaining experience with school activities. Heimburger explained how the position as secretary her Freshman year gave her experience and helped her decide to continue trying out for the SBO elections. Heimburger said, “I really enjoyed the position already as a Freshman. It gave me a lot of new opportunities.”
Other candidates are running without previous experience in a student government. Park said she believes that her personality helps her connect with other students. She also said being social and energetic allows her to communicate easily with people in her grade, therefore making her want to represent them. She says, “Some of my biggest strengths are that I’m really social and I have a lot of energy. […] I can get along with a lot of people.”
Candidates also shared ideas about how they want students to feel more involved in school activities and events and more connected to the school’s community. Ideas included clear promotion of school activities/events, opportunities for collaboration among students, and programs to encourage interaction between students across different social groups. Heimburger stated her concern for people who she felt were isolated: “I hate seeing people eat alone. […] I want to find a way where people are able to connect to each other and get to know different people.”
With campaigning now underway, Skyline students will have the opportunity to participate in the SBO elections and vote for the peers they want best to represent their grade. These elections play a key role in shaping the school’s social environment and activities for the next school year. As Heimburger said, “I want to help students feel connected and proud of being a Skyline Eagle and make sure everyone has a chance to get involved.”
