While there were no mail-in ballots, ballot collection boxes, or extended in-person voting, last week Mount Madonna School (MMS) middle and high school students participated in the democratic process, by electing student council representatives for the school’s new Student Government Association (SGA).
Each middle school class chose a single representative, while high school classes each picked two representatives (with the exception of seniors, who elected three representatives), and the student body president. The digital “polls” closed October 22 at 5:00pm, and the names of those elected were announced on October 23. Student council representatives will serve for the whole school year.
Junior Liana Kitchel, ran uncontested and will serve as student body president. Campaigning for the presidency included three criteria: a petition for nomination that included student and faculty signatures, a formal speech, and a video highlighting the candidate’s ideas and reasons for running.
“When I first had the idea to run for student body president, I was unsure of myself,” shared Kitchel in her campaign speech. “What did students want? How would I make change happen? Was I right for this job? I brushed the idea of running to the side at first. It wasn’t until I started having conversations with my peers about the change they wanted at Mount Madonna and when they encouraged me to run that I started to have inspiration.
“I want to change the performing arts audition process so that students can show off their talents that might not necessarily be singing or dancing, or acting,” she continued. “I want to give students the opportunity to substitute one component of auditions with either an art piece, costume design, set design, choreographed dance, or something along those lines. This would give students more choices.
“The second thing I’d like to do is create a new elective class for high school students,” she said. “I think that adding woodworking or metalworking would be a great addition. Students can get hands-on learning on how to use tools safely to build and make cool stuff.
“Another process I want to work on has to do with volunteer hours,” continued Kitchel. “At the beginning of my freshman year, I had no idea how many hours I needed to complete or where the form for volunteer hours was. I want students to be told exactly how many hours they need by the end of high school, and where to find the form and how to fill it out. I also want to create access so students can see how many community service hours they have completed and how many remain.”
Students campaigned by talking with their peers and faculty about their ideas and ways they will bring support to the community. Each candidate self-nominated and created a statement of candidacy that was included on the ballot.
The elected class representatives are: Corey Mensinger, Kira Kaplan, Savannah Cambell, grade 12; Grace Timan, grade 11; Sam Kaplan, Zoey Ocampo-Sobkoviak, grade 10; Sophia Manzur, ninth grade; Colby Culberston, eighth grade; Acacia Russell, seventh grade; and Romy Sirk-Traugh, sixth grade.
Following the elections, the SGA held its first Zoom meeting on October 28 to nominate a vice president, secretary and treasurer from within the student council. The council will also be responsible for forming committees to bring further representation and to make sure all voices are heard.
The idea to resurrect the SGA was brought to the students and faculty in 2019-20 by then-senior (and now alumnus) Braeden Will.
“I undertook student government as my senior capstone project because I realized that for my whole time at Mount Madonna I had heard critiques and ideas from my peers for new programs, policies, and improvements which would really benefit the student body,” shared Will.
“The issue that I saw was that there was no way for these ideas to be anything more than ideas,” he continued. “There was an incredible passion to have a voice and make changes, and students wanted to be involved in the decision-making process because it directly affected them. A solution to the problem was a student government, it would allow for dialogue and consensus amongst the student body, as well as directly improving the pillars that Mount Madonna stands on, creative self-expression, academic excellence, and positive character development for every student.”
Modifying and then adopting a constitution that Will created is one of the first orders of business for the SGA, aside from electing officers from among the representatives. Kitchel has already reviewed the constitution and made notes of possible changes that should be voted on when the SGA meets, so that final articulated principles are a good fit for the MMS school population and environment.
“There was so much enthusiasm during the election process,” commented PK McDonald, who along with Sara Sobkoviak is a faculty adviser to the SGA. “My biggest focus will continue to be ensuring that all students feel they have a seat at the table, and that we hear their whole range of ideas.”
The SGA will meet virtually via Zoom twice a month to work together on topics brought before them.
“This will be a great way to connect the upper school classes together and build community,” commented Sobkoviak. “As a teacher, I often hear the students discussing their concerns about student life and offering ideas for change and innovation, but we have often lacked an avenue of process in order for students to feel like their voice, their ideas and their needs are being heard. This is why we are creating this space.”
“The most important aspect of student government that I envisioned,” said Will, “is enabling students to really engage with their school and feel like they are not just students, but partners who have a vested interest in campus affairs.”
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Nestled among the redwoods on 375 acres, Mount Madonna School (MMS) is a diverse learning community dedicated to creative, intellectual, and ethical growth. MMS supports its students in becoming caring, self-aware, discerning and articulate individuals; and believe a fulfilling life includes personal accomplishments, meaningful relationships and service to society. The CAIS and WASC accredited program emphasizes academic excellence, creative self-expression and positive character development. Located on Summit Road between Gilroy and Watsonville. Founded in 1979.