Meet the Candidates: Student Council President
Six students hope to be your Student Council President next school year, 2022-23. Voting will be conducted through a Google Form that will be provided to you during history class on June 16, and June 17 for those of you who miss school on the 16th. The Form will only allow you to vote once, and only high school students, including seniors, are eligible to vote. Send questions to Mr. Weaver at [email protected].
All six candidates made a short video and were asked two questions by the Journalism Club. Below are their videos and answers to the questions, unedited, and listed in alphabetical order:
BRIANA CABRERA ESPINAL
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: Next year as a Student Council leader, I hope to accomplish great things for our school and student body. I will make your next school year fun, I will work with the advisors, the rest of Student Council, and the staff to implement more spirit weeks, more pep rallies, more days where you’ll be allowed to take a step back from everything and breathe. I will look to my peers for guidance, I will care about everything up to the miniscule things. We will work toward an environment where climate change will be at the forefront of our minds. We will have days to go outside and be able to plant flowers, or have a “courtyard” to be able to hang out in. I will advocate for mental health and the safety and healthiness of the student body and the respective staff. The school will be a safe place for everyone to be themselves. A place students will be proud to be a part of!
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: I know the dress code is probably one of the most discussed topics in our school. Whether it should or should not be implemented and how far is too far when it comes to applying it to the student body. My goal will be to make our uniforms fun and wearable, while still being able to follow the dress code. I will work to create shirts for every pathway, club, and organization. I will find a safe medium, and make compromises that will satisfy both the students and the staff. I want to work with you to get more uniform options that people will actually want to wear. I care about your opinions and I care about your individuality!
GABRIELA MARTINEZ
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: I hope to gather more members to be in the Student Council group next year and be a role model with a huge heart and a huge passion for those who look up to me . I hope to gain everyone’s trust and respect as I will respect every single one of you. I hope to fulfill the satisfactions of those who are unheard of , the satisfactions of those who feel unwelcomed. I want to be a role model for all of you. I am loud and outgoing and I WILL be a voice for you, I promise you.
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: I will ask and hope to add at least the color black into Prep’s dress code only because I understand those who prefer black over using purple or gray but also consider the fact that it is the school policy , and yes I have gone out of my way and not wore school uniform but , I will need to try and trust all of you on following school policy. College shirts , College hoodies are acceptable and Passaic gear is also acceptable but otherwise , gray polo , purple polo and khaki pants are permitted and I will be restrictive within the policy and if I see any of you not following the policy , as much as it would bother me I will have to warn you up to only 2 times , 3rd time I will write you down and let the office deal with you. I hope to satisfy all of you. Thank you.
LISMARY PASCAL
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: What I hope to accomplish as a student council leader next year is to add onto the change we have already created thus far. I want everyone to have a voice, a place they feel comfortable speaking and expressing themselves and their concerns. I want everyone to be involved. I think it’s important for everyone’s voices and opinions to be heard and create an environment where students feel welcomed and understood.
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: Uniform is important for unity and creates a sense of pride for our school showing us that we are all a part of the same team and displays our eligibility as a community. It also keeps students focused on their education, not their clothes. I would make staying in uniform a big priority and allowing 3 strikes before being given detention and anymore being a Saturday. But I also believe in freedom of expression and creativity. My goal would be to dedicate a few days out of each month for students to dress down and wear what’s most comfortable for them, include more spirit weeks and create fun raffles for free dress downs which not only helps fundraise for our school but is something we could all collectivity do as a school and motivates students to actually stay in uniform being given these opportunities!
BRYAN PEREZ
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: If given the opportunity to be a Student Council Leader I hope to accomplish the pushing for updating of policy in which students do not agree with. Including the uniform policy. As a Student Council Leader I hope that with the pushing for certain policies to be updated we can better ensure equity for all of our students and that the academic, physical, and mental needs of all of our students are met.
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: If given the chance, I hope to push and fight for an update of our uniform policy, which would give students the opportunity to better accommodate themselves and be able to meet the standards of our uniform policy. Whether it be adding options, or even various colors to the policy.
CAMILA PEREZ
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: I hope to accomplish making our school spirit a little bit better. I would like to have more field trips, maybe two pep rallies and field days throughout the school year. Those kinds of events help the student body relax for a while and have fun. I would also like to accomplish being the voice for our student council. As a leader, it would be my responsibility to help students that cannot speak up for themselves. Some students may be too afraid to speak up and I don’t want them to feel that way. I would be open to ideas and feedback!
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: I would try to talk to the student body on why they choose to not wear uniforms. Some people may prefer zip ups, or a certain color, or don’t like where the logo is. We can try to make some possible changes, maybe the student body will start wearing school colors after making slight changes.
ALYSSA TENTLE
Q: What do you hope to accomplish as a Student Council leader next year?
A: I hope to bring in more school spirit in our school and make it become more lively and fun. The students and school revolve a lot on academics and sometimes the students need a break and need fun. I want to find a way to merge both of these ideas so students aren’t stressed and can have fun but also still be studious.
Q: If you are elected , what will you do about Prep’s dress code?
A: There’s nothing I can do to what is already a part of our uniform policy but what I want to do is add more to our uniform policy. We are known as the “creative” side of the academies and I want to show that through our uniforum. I want more styles of sweaters and a couple of more colors to our school colors in clothing. I know the people want more options and I will fight my hardest to get more options and styles.
Mr. Schmerler is the Staff Adviser of The Boulevard Online. He worked in the field of journalism for 25 years and has a Masters degree in Broadcast Journalism...
