In a recent student election at Armuchee High School, Isabel Martinez was elected as President, Sarah Buckingham secured the position of Vice President, Kayden Johnson became Secretary, Bella Howell was chosen as Media Chair, and Evey Flagello and Kailyn Therber were named class Representatives, all working towards creating a more inclusive and supportive school environment. Freshmen who contended for student leadership positions shared their goals and visions for the election. The candidates ran for various roles and expressed their commitment to building a more inclusive and supportive school environment.

Experience played a significant role in shaping the approach of Sarah Buckingham. With a background as vice president in the 8th grade, she pointed out the importance of addressing the divisions within the freshman class. “Groups of people stay with groups of people,” she said, expressing her desire to create a more inclusive atmosphere. Kayden Johnson, who ran for the position of secretary, also shared a desire to increase student involvement. “I think there should be more student involvement, and that should be changed,” she said. She emphasized encouraging participation from a wider range of students. Her approach highlighted the need for responsibility in leadership with a focus on connecting with other students.

Meanwhile, Bella Howell, who also brings previous leadership experience, advocates the importance of approaching leadership through service. She believes that prioritizing a service-driven approach would benefit the entire class. “If we go from a perspective of serving not necessarily immediately leading, then the grade will benefit,” she said. She believes her focus on service and relationship-building can help the school overcome its lack of cohesion. Isabel Martinez planned to tackle the issue of student involvement through introducing new clubs, aiming to create opportunities for a wider range of interests and abilities. She spoke about her desire to build a stronger connection with peers to understand her classmates’ struggles from a more direct perspective. She said, “I would like to get closer to my peers and be a good leader for my classmates.” Her approach emphasizes the importance of connection and inclusion.

Kailyn Therber underscored the importance of balancing leadership responsibilities with other aspects of student life. She pointed out, “Involvement in school is really important, but if it interferes with your life or mental capacity, it can be dangerous.” Kailyn’s balanced approach demonstrates her commitment to effective leadership while advising her peers to maintain perspective. Her perspective adds another layer to the shared goal of fostering a more united and inclusive student body.

Evey Flagello, who ran for the position of Media Chair and Representative, emphasized her commitment to volunteer work and creativity as valuable assets for the leadership team. She said, “I feel like I’m very creative, so that I will be able to help our leadership team this year.” Reflecting on her previous experiences, she recalled her excitement from volunteering work and events from last year, looking forward to similar opportunities in high school. Even with other competition in the election, Evey remained optimistic and said that even if she doesn’t get the position she wants, she believes she will still be able to serve as a representative and help. Her focus on volunteer work and school spirit drives her desire to organize events to benefit the community.

As the election approached, these candidates offered a wide range of ideas, aimed at creating a more connected and supportive school community. They shared their individual approaches, shaped by their unique perspectives and experiences. All of the candidates were committed to improving the freshman experience and talked about the importance of balancing leadership with other aspects of student life. Their shared goal of creating a more supportive community promises to bring fresh perspectives to student leadership.

(This version of the article has a slightly different paragraph order than the one in Google Docs.)