Hi future freshman!! I’m the class vice president for the senior class and if you are someone who likes being in the loop, responsible, and looking for an outlet to make positive change, you should run for class office. 

Class Officers for each grade are elected by their grade-level peers each school year.  Being elected means that your classmates have chosen you to represent and be the “voice” for your grade. If you are elected to this role, your duties would include being in charge of planning events, and also being aware of the funds your specific class has and needs.

 There are four positions: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Each one has a slightly different responsibility and information will be pushed out, through announcements and emails, to all freshmen at the beginning of the school year once everyone is settled into a routine. Working alongside the four officers elected are two or three “class advisors” who are teachers. They will help guide you through the decisions you will be making. If you were elected to be a freshman advisor you would be working with Ms. Malavazos, who has been an advisor for at least three years.

Anyone will be able to tell you that running for class officer is a great opportunity to be involved, and they are completely right. Although, I understand the hesitation that goes along with giving a speech and actually being voted into one of the four positions. If you decide to run for a position (which you absolutely should) you will have to write one short speech that you will only give to the people in your grade, saying a little bit about yourself and explaining why you would be a good class officer. After you give the speech there will be a vote on Google Forms, and then by the end of the day, you will know if you’ve won!

If you’re elected for one role, you and the other officers will meet at minimum once a month and talk about ideas for future fundraisers that will help your class get money, and help plan events like homecoming and prom. A few things I was able to be a part of, being junior and senior vice president, was planning a custom-made bracelet fundraiser, senior prom, the senior class trip, a senior superlative event, and many smaller activities. 

Being a class officer can be time-consuming when it comes to organizing and making sure each “event” runs smoothly, but I think the benefits outweigh the brief moments of panic. A few benefits I gained from being a class officer were it allowed me to experience a new level of responsibility, and I got to step away from my comfort zone to grow. Another thing I loved about my position is that I felt very in the loop and included in school events. I knew my opinions were always being considered, and I got to plan fundraisers that I was excited to spend a day participating in. Finally, being in office could set you apart from other students when applying for college. Even though you won’t be applying to colleges for about three years, it is best to start thinking about how you can impress college administrators sooner rather than later (and all of you will).

My advice to anyone thinking about running is don’t overthink it and don’t focus on what will go wrong. I can guarantee no one remembers the speech I gave, the way I messed up on a few words, and my extremely fast talking speed, besides myself. If I had a more positive and optimistic mindset as an underclassman I would definitely have been more involved, more likely to venture out from my comfort zone, and have more fun high school experiences. 

Emily Goodrich, Staff Writer

Senior Emily Goodrich is a staff writer for the 2021-2022 Colonel Newsmagazine. She is the senior class Vice President and an NHS member. When she’s not harassing her mom to go to the beach or with friends, you could probably find her napping.