The Paper Tiger sat down to chat with the newly elected Co-Presidents, Erica Thompson and Alex Martinez to discuss their visions for the 2017-2018 school year.
Paper Tiger: Why did you run for president?
Alex Martinez: I ran for president because I wanted to take on a position of leadership that would allow me to help bridge the gap between administration and the student body. As a Freshman and Junior class rep, I found that communication between the Admin and StuCo was somewhat limited. When I was running for president, I thought a lot about how the student body’s voice could be effectively conveyed, especially as the school was about to undergo some major changes with the construction. I heard a lot of concerns and was very motivated to see that they be heard.
Erica Thompson: I have served on Student Council not only because I love serving and helping my community, but also because it has become such an integral part of my school life. Every year when I run for a new position, the elections remind me that being on Student Council is such an incredible opportunity, and not something I should take for granted. I love working behind the scenes at social events, improving the experiences of my fellow students, and being a part of a community that brings together people from all grades. I ran for President because I felt I could make a positive impact on the community in a role that people look up to and respect.
PT: Why did you choose to run with your Co-President?
ET: Alex and I were freshmen reps together, and both served on Student Council junior year. We have also been in an insane number of classes together, so I know Alex very well as a student, leader, and friend. I knew that Alex and I would make a great team, and that we would both go the extra mile to reach many different people in the community. Alex is both an incredibly hard worker and also one of the funniest, most spirited people I know. It has been such a pleasure working with him so far, and I can’t wait for the rest of the year!
Lick-Wilmerding Student Body Co-Presidents Erica Thompson and Alex Martinez photo by Nick Harris
AM: I think Erica and I make a good team because we have complementary personalities. Erica is very creative and has no problem sharing out her ideas. She commands a lot of respect from her peers and takes to positions of leadership really well. I found my niche in the behind-the-scenes kind of work. Erica is a reliable person and has a lot of experience in student government. I knew I could count on her. Also, she’s a great friend who has a lot of interesting things to share.
PT: What is your vision for the 2017-18 school year for Student Council? What changes do you hope to facilitate?
AM: In my time as Class Rep my Freshman and Junior years, I noticed that there were some areas in which StuCo could grow, particularly for reps. I felt that with the way StuCo was structured, it was challenging for Class Reps to bring the ideas and promises they made in their platform to life. A major component of Erica and my campaign was centered around implementing an additional meeting for class reps so they can get more work done. So far, we’ve been working on holding ourselves more accountable through these more frequent meetings as well as by trying to be more transparent. In the coming weeks, we’re hoping to have the StuCo Bulletin Board updated and with all our latest notes and plans. Additionally, every rep’s platform will be posted and available to the student body.
ET: Our biggest goal on Student Council this year is to promote school spirit. We hope to get students more excited about Student Council and sporting and music events. We are working on providing more opportunities throughout the year to do so, such as hosting more pep rallies. We have high hopes that school pride will be very strong this year!
PT: Can you describe the dynamics of this Student Council? What makes this group unique and why are you excited to work with them?
AM: This year’s Student Council is a really tight-knit group. We have a lot of returning members from past years as well new faces, who have already demonstrated that they’re up for the job. On the Executive Council we’ve got a great bunch that’s really dedicated to their work and aren’t content with settling for what’s easiest. With the full council, it’s been exciting to see how the underclassmen reps have really dived into their roles. In past years, I’ve noticed that it takes a little bit for underclassmen to warm up to the position and be open with their ideas, but that definitely has not been the case with this group. e returning upperclassmen reps have been working really well with the new members of StuCo to pick up where they left off last year. I’m really excited to work this group and can’t wait to see their visions come to life.
Read the Paper Tiger! It comes highly recommended by your Co-Presidents.
