The annual return of vibrant, warm-toned leaves introduces the results of the first student council election for the Class of 2028. After a series of assiduous campaigns, students may wonder who these new ambitious freshman class officers are and what they might bring to the table. Have they had any experience prior to high school? What do they look forward to in the next four years? What strategies did they use in expanding their supportive audience? These most critical, essential questions are thoughtfully answered by freshman co-presidents Cathleen Liu (‘28) and Howard Luo (‘28), and treasurer Sage Lindmar (‘28). 

Introducing the most competitive, widely sought-after position to fill: class president. When asked what campaigning strategies were used to secure votes, Liu and Luo replied “Simply talking with others…We also worked our butts off on our video, keeping our eye on the main purpose, YOU.” Similarly, treasurer Lindmar put his efforts towards his campaign video, posters, and word of mouth to spread his name among voters. Clearly, these efforts were not put to waste, and while fancy video editing is definitely a plus, engaging with the targeted audience comes on top. However, even when there’s success, there’s always room for improvement, which begs the question: what did our officers learn in the process and what might have they done differently in their campaigning? Liu and Luo stated, “We learned that it is a very emotionally draining process, but also truly rewarding.” In fact, all the candidates involved were able to acquire and practice additional skills such as editing, promoting, and expertly bribing people into liking you. Though, to further enhance their campaigning, the freshmen co-presidents wished Liu had figured out how to work social media better, while Lindmar would have implemented more students in his video like how many winning candidates did. 

Besides the trusty campaign tactics, what qualities do our leaders have that made them ultimately shine from the pool of hopeful candidates? Our two co-presidents replied, “We are both extremely outgoing, nurturing, and genuine people who are willing to lend a helping hand to anyone at any time. We wanted to create an inclusive and cohesive environment where everyone’s voices are heard, especially in the often underrepresented freshman class.” Additionally, the duo offered that they’ve had many similar leadership positions in the past, acting as SCA class representatives in third, fourth, eighth, and now ninth grade. Lindmar, on the other hand, shared that he “held the NJHS Historian position in eighth grade, which provided leadership and editing experience,” and “served in multiple, similar positions in my scout troop, working to teach younger members and leading [his] patrol.” Furthermore, he has “always had an interest in managing funds and the economy.” Apart from overall passion, Lindmar is able to bring strong communication and collaboration skills to the student council. 

With extracurriculars, sports, clubs, and a school that particularly favors homework, juggling class officer duties among all these responsibilities is no easy feat. It’s tedious, it’s strenuous, and it’s detrimental! Yet Liu and Luo said, “Our multifaceted brains and super swift sixth sense allows us to balance and remember everything.We also love using our to-do lists. Therefore, we will NEVER forget you guys!” This is a powerful mindset that the pair plan to use to achieve a supportive high school environment, executing any ideas the Class of 2028 has. The co-presidents’ plan is to get feedback by “talking in person with others and creating polls to decide on spirit weeks and other awesome initiatives.” They hope for their classmates to have a great year, especially since the class is new to the ins and outs of high school. Meanwhile, when asked how he manages his tasks, Lindmar responded, “I've been pretty lucky so far to be able to manage my classes and my membership in clubs, all without a study hall, and this is all due to my organization. I keep an agenda where I note every assignment I need to do, and rather than completing them all in one day, I spread them out so that I work a little each day.” With these organization habits, Lindmar is able to put his focus towards his role as a reliable treasurer, hoping to “make sure that the Dragons have the ability to do the activities that they want to do through fundraising efforts and accurate maintenance of finance records.” The class officers act as role models for students, as the freshmen are encouraged to start keeping a regular to-do list, agenda, or some method to keep track of assignments and events as they adjust to high school. 

When asked what they believe to be the key parts of a positive school community, Liu replied, “Good communication and collaboration. Humans naturally like to be with others and collaborate with each other. This also means that communication with others is crucial.” Luo personally values kindness and energy, voicing, “In a school where there are such different people from different backgrounds and different places, kindness is essentially the principle to foster a positive environment where everyone thrives, and with kindness comes energy…” (and apparently Travis Scott, whose music was featured heavily in the co-presidents’ campaign). Corresponding with Liu, Lindmar believes that it’s “important that no student feels unheard in decisions because the key role of a school is to make everyone feel welcome and appreciated” and that “within collaboration is the importance of communication, as having strong communication between government and students keeps everyone informed and involved.” With this in mind, during their term, Liu and Luo encourage everyone to not be afraid to speak up. They stated, “When Global tests come around, everyone is going to get through it, and we hope to be able to foster an environment of unity and cry together about our exponentially regressing grades.” Simultaneously, during his term, Lindmar’s major goals are to create a welcoming environment, ensure properly funded clubs and academics, and allow for environmental and cleanliness benefits for the school. For example, he’s supporting “increased digital use, as many classes rely on a lot of paper, and increased filling of hand sanitizer machines in classes.”

Now, it’s only just the beginning of freshman year for the Class of 2028, and there’s another long, arduous three years to come. However, the optimistic freshman co-presidents want to make the best of it for everyone through all sorts of fun, spirit events, having said, “We would like to oversee our entire class as our bodies grow up and glow up and the horizons in our brains expand. We would like to give people lasting memories from their freshman year – many people have already forgotten about their 6th grade year, so we want to make this the funniest and happiest year ever.” While I haven’t forgotten my personally traumatizing 6th grade year, I trust that the class of 2028’s freshman year will be unforgettable in a positive, enlightening way. Further, Lindmar states that in his high school career, he’d “love to see increased support for minority clubs as well as a decreased environmental footprint.” 

Overall, the Class of 2028 will no doubt enjoy a great first year, allowing for it to remain a lasting memory throughout their high school careers. Students can give credit to the newly elected class officers, their positive spirit being like no other. Moreover, Liu, Luo, and Lindmar are all absolutely considering rerunning in the following years, wanting to assist their class in venturing through the swallowing darkness of high school. 

BONUS question, and perhaps the utmost important of them all: Be honest. How much sleep do you currently get? The freshman co-presidents answered most honestly, “Depends, but usually between 5 (thanks to Global) to 8 on a weekday. We must lock in during the week and stay devoted to helping our freshman class. [Besides], we can make up all our sleep over the weekend.” If sacrificing one’s sleep and sanity for a bunch of high schoolers doesn’t speak of dedication, then I don’t know what does. On the other hand, Lindmar gets around the recommended eight hours of sleep per night. May every student strive for such a magnificent sleep schedule!