As the school year comes to an end, students are looking to the future by voting for their next Student Government Association (SGA) leaders and grade-level officers. Overseen by SGA sponsor Amy Buckingham and managed by senior and current SGA co-president Ashi Stanislaus, this year’s election process has introduced new opportunities for students to engage with candidates and hear their platforms firsthand.

A major change from previous years was the introduction of an election forum, held during lunch on Apr. 28, in the auditorium. Organized by the SGA, the forum provided a space for candidates to share their goals and policies with the student body. “We wanted a space where candidates could share more about themselves and students could ask questions. It’s part of [SGA’s] effort to make elections more transparent and engaging,” Stanislaus said.

Junior Mia Coven, running for senior class president, said the forum helped her feel more connected to her classmates. “I thought the election forum was helpful in being able to convey my own thoughts and goals to the class. I’ve also been walking around the school and trying to engage directly with my class, and I plan to continue using social media throughout my campaign,” Coven said.

Another hopeful candidate is junior Lily Semnani, who is running for SGA co-president. For her, the election has been both a personal and empowering experience. “This election means a lot to me because it’s a chance to lead alongside others I’m really close to. Everyone running is incredibly deserving and capable. My campaigning has included creating posters, consistently posting on social media, and even starting a campaign Instagram where I shared a video about my platform. I also emailed students to get their input, though that wasn’t too successful. I’ve found that direct conversations are the most meaningful,” Semnani said.

Stanislaus, who has taken on the role of head elections officer, emphasized the importance of maintaining fairness throughout the process. “I’ve created an election committee that I run and work with Buckingham. We make sure that all candidates are following the rules, as SGA has a list of grievances. If a candidate doesn’t follow one of the rules, the committee will hold an election meeting to determine the next steps,” Stanislaus said.

The elections follow a strict timeline, which began with a mandatory candidacy meeting on Apr. 1. From there, candidates had to meet several deadlines, including filing by Apr. 8, securing teacher signatures by Apr. 10 and submitting their campaign platforms by Apr. 23. Campaigning officially began on Apr. 22, with voting taking place later this week.

As election day nears, one thing is clear: students are stepping up, not only to lead, but to connect — with ideas, with peers and with their school community. Whether through Instagram reels or face-to-face conversations in the hallway, the future leaders of the school are working hard to earn every vote.