Meet the Candidate: Student Council Secretary/Treasurer, 2020-21

By Bryan Perez, Staff Reporter|October 23, 2020

Kimberly Daniel

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Daniel

Kimberly Daniel is running for Student Council Secretary/Treasurer for 2020-21.

NOTE: Student Council elections for Passaic Preparatory Academy will be held virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 28, from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. All Prep students are encouraged to vote. The Boulevard staff will offer information on the candidates right up to Election Day to help voters make an informed decision.

One candidate is running unopposed for the position of Secretary/Treasurer at Prep. The Boulevard Online (TBO) reached out to her with six questions that could help you get to know her better.

The candidate:

TBO: Why is the Student Council important?
Kimberly: The Student Council is important because it is the voice of the student body. Most of the time, people with authority, such as our teachers and administrators, make the decisions for our school, however, they do not experience firsthand the impact that those decisions have on our students. Sometimes those decisions may end up hurting our students and other times the administrators and teachers are unable to resolve certain issues because they are unaware of our students’ concerns. Since schools are meant to cater to our students’ desires and needs, it is crucial for our students to have the ability to not only voice their ideas and worries but, to also take action that carries out the solutions. And that is why the student council is important because it allows students to address concerns, that would otherwise be overlooked, which could then help improve their high school experience.

 

TBO: Why did you decide to run for office?
Kimberly: The main reason behind my decision, to run for the Secretary and Treasurer position, is the fact that I want to help all of our students, alleviating some of their stress and worries while also enhancing their high school experience. After participating in the Student Council for two years and seeing the way the Student Council was always advocating our students’ best interests, I realized that I wanted to become even more involved because I truly want our school to improve. While I did have the urge to run for a position on the executive board the previous years, I did not have enough courage to do so. But after experiencing, seeing, and hearing all of the problems in our school that need to be addressed, this year I decided to not only be a student council member but to be a leader to ensure that our students receive the help they need.

TBO: If elected, what’s the most important thing you would do?
Kimberly: The most important thing that I want to accomplish is increasing the student council’s involvement in our school and school programs. For instance, the student council can help support our school clubs and programs more by promoting their clubs and club events. Not to mention, if I was elected as a Secretary and Treasurer, I would be able to have the power to advise the student council to invest a good portion of our money to support our students, school, and school programs. 


TBO: How is having elections virtually harder than doing them in person?
Kimberly: Elections are a bit more difficult for me because it is harder to get my name out there. I am mostly campaigning through social media, which makes it difficult to reach people beyond my circle of social media friends. Not to mention, it is harder to form a connection with the students. I think creating that connection would be easier in person, especially when you are trying to establish a new relationship where you hope to gain a person’s trust.


TBO: Why should the students elect you?
Kimberly: While the Secretary and Treasurer position may be overshadowed by the President and Vice President positions, it is still important to have an excellent Secretary and Treasurer. A secretary is in charge of communicating people’s ideas to the people in charge to help develop and carry out those ideas. Meanwhile, a Treasurer is not only in charge of the student council’s budget but they also can advise the student council on the allocation of their money. Therefore, students should vote for me as their Secretary and Treasurer because my main objective is to help our students and I mean that with all my heart. I am also a hard-working person that is willing to overcome anything and everything to pursue that goal. A few of my other positive qualities include being responsible, organized, intelligent, goal-oriented, and empathetic. However, I am the first to say that I do have flaws and weaknesses just like everyone else, but that should not stop our students from electing me because my work ethic and ambition will help me continuously improve in those areas that I struggle in. I know that if I work hard enough, I will become a great Secretary and Treasurer that helps our students and improves our school in my own, unique way.

 

TBO: Can you make a difference for the students at Prep? How?
Kimberly: Yes, I can make a difference for the students at Prep by being open-minded, empathetic, and determined. I will listen to our students’ concerns and I will help develop methods to encourage students to speak their minds. Not to mention, with my persistence, I could help push for these ideas until a solution is carried out, if realistically possible. Additionally, I could help our students feel more comfortable in our school by showcasing that the student council is supporting them all the way. If I am given the chance, I know that I can make a difference for our students in my, so I hope that our students keep me in mind when voting for their Secretary and Treasurer.