ASB, we’ve all heard of it. ASB is a great club to give students the opportunity to represent their grade level and overall the school. ASB is known for taking care of events, managing spirit week, and overall regulating the way of life around the school. The ASB forums of the Seniors and Freshmen took place on Sep. 12, while the ASB forums of the Sophomores and the Juniors took place on Sep. 13. Both forums were located in the school’s cafeteria, during CP (2:45-3:30) and was hosted by Ms. Batt. The content gathered was as follows:

(Official representatives indicated in bold)

Freshman Forum:

The freshmen carried energy that spread throughout the convention. They all made sure their voices were heard and expressed their opinions on each question. Their charismatic energy made a good impression since they were potential role models for the other freshmen. Overall, even though this is their first year in the school, the freshmen showed genuine interest in being part of the ASB club. All of the candidates showed charm and have a history of decision-making.

Miley C was a valedictorian and soccer captain. She has many ideas for the freshmen and thinks they will enjoy what she has planned for the future. She can advocate for her grade and will speak up when she has too. She is great at communication and hopes that the freshmen will be able to feel comfortable with her.

Katim G is great at collaborating with her peers and teachers. Her communication with her classmates helps drive them to success. She hopes to organize budget-friendly events for the school.

Oscar F wants to help all of HMSA’s freshmen succeed in their academic endeavors. He is kind, respectful, and likes spending time with other students. He believes in all of his fellow classmates and wants the freshmen to vote for him.

Victoria B was a den leader at her old school. She has experience in leadership and helping her grade. She’s also knowledgeable in designing, preparing, and making events, along with different types of game challenges. She knows her limits, but isn’t afraid of speaking up for what’s right.

Sofia C believes she is more experienced and excels in being a leader rather than a follower. She enjoys being a role model for her fellow peers and has previous experience being a leader at her old school since she was a “WEB” leader.

Sophomore Forum:

All of the sophomore candidates wished to bring new ideas to the table. They shared similar concepts and were all active to push their ideas. The candidates were attentive to each other’s opinions and paid attention to each other in a respectful way. They also paid attention to the crowd and even though some candidates were shy, they all shared a main goal of improving events. This is their second year at HMSA so they have more experience of what is expected of an ASB candidate. Overall, the sophomore candidates were very involved with both each other, and their grade group, as they wanted to include the sophmores in the process of the ASB election.

Andrea C. and Jasmin K “stood on business.”

Max N “would gather the attention by taking polls, saying stuff that would be popular, and getting the majority opinion.”

Kamila M was “making sure that everyone is seen.”

Anjola A was confident and loud with her statements, saying that she would “make HMSA great again.”

Khaled G “wanted to communicate with [his] peers by going and asking around.”

Andrea C, Jasmin K, and Max N projected their voices and promised responsibility in ASB

Junior Forum:

From the Junior perspective, the ASB forum needed improvements to make it a better experience for both representatives and the audience. Some acknowledge the positive effects of promoting critical thinking skills due to being asked questions spontaneously. However, the audience was disengaged. The loudest personalities received the most attention and applause, and some of the candidates described feeling nervous and noted how the popular students outshone the shyer ones. Overall, there were many junior candidates, but very few stood out. Shy or otherwise, we should introduce a method that favors both if we want people that can improve the school. 

For example, Earl C claimed the ASB forum was given to the candidates at short notice. Compared to the other candidates, he felt underprepared, that “the whole thing was “immature” and that “it was about exciting the crowd.”  Furthermore, he added, “It was very hard to process the questions efficiently with so many people.”

However, not everyone felt this way.  One student who prefers to remain anonymous argued, “We need people to be able to express themselves freely, and if their whole plan was to fight for what the student body wants, they need to be unshaken when it’s time to confront what they’ve promised”. Also, everyone that was present for the election had some sense of what it would be like and what would be expected from them. Yes, there could have been another way to prevent overshadowing some candidates, but life is about testing your limits. By testing your limits, it allows you to grow and become a better version of yourself.  

Senior Forum:

The seniors held themselves calm and poised. They were straightforward and had a major contrast of energy compared to the other grade groups. One advantage the seniors may have is how familiar they are with the classmates within their grade, along with their experience with the school. The seniors have known each other for so long most of the candidates felt comfortable and relaxed in answering whatever question was given to them. In general, the seniors aimed for programs that benefit their class, from fundraising and volunteer hours.Overall, it seemed like the seniors knew what they had to say in order to get votes:

Tolu O emphasized “leadership and no regrets.”  

Emelin H wanted to “focus on fun spirit weeks.”  

Julianna G framed “ASB [as] an opportunity to come out of her shell.”

Bryan K asserted that “ASB is the fundamental group of all groups, as it is the most important.”

Heriberto H “wanted to raise school spirit.”  

Sebastian L was “looking to give more opportunities for volunteering.”

Brian L wanted to “focus on fundraising.” 

Santiago C explained that he is “understanding,” “follows through with his words,” and is “comfortable with talking with peers.”

All of the grades had their own perspectives on what they could do to make the school better. Each grade approached the topics differently having been influenced by previous experiences. The freshmen were energetic and optimistic, the sophomores were observant and approachable, and while the juniors may have been uncoordinated, they were genuinely passionate about changing the school. Last but not least, the seniors showed their wit and experience: “School spirit is enthusiasm and passion“; “[ASB] is like the Swiss army of all clubs. It’s versatile and brings all clubs together.”