As a new year begins, responsibility is passed on to a new group of leaders who are preparing to lead the campus. After speeches and elections, the 2011-12 ASB officers have been appointed by the student body.
Unlike in previous years where students voted before the end of the prior school year, an election chapel was held during the second week of school, Aug. 25. Each candidate made a speech to communicate their goals and hopes for the year at hand. Voting followed immediately after this, and a report of the winners was made over the announcements, Aug. 26.
All three of the representatives are juniors or seniors, who have a background in the school and plan to strive for unity in order to make their last few years and many after memorable.
President Chandler Vargas, ’12
Senior Chandler Vargas holds the position of president for the 2011-12 school year. He has been involved in the leadership team for two years, working hard to learn both the pros and cons of procedure in the past. Vargas also participates in football, basketball and track. He hopes to boost school spirit this year, unifying the high school by keeping students involved in decisions the leadership class makes.
Fries: What is the one thing that you want to strive for this year while serving as president?
Vargas: To represent the school and gather their opinions and ideas before student leadership makes any decisions. That way, students will get what they want and we can work together to make this year better than the last.
Fries: In your speech, you talked about boosting students’ spirit. How are you planning on fulfilling that expectation?
Vargas: To emphasize the “We Are One” theme, I want to gather a couple of students to lead the student section at games so that we are united in our spirit and encouragement for the different sports teams.
Fries: What would you like the students to know about how you are intending to represent them?
Vargas: I want to be personal, not to say, “I’m going to do all this stuff,” and then they [students] never hear from me. I really want to meet each student at school and have a personal relationship with each one. I want everyone to be able to trust me and come to me with any thoughts they have on the student leadership’s choices.
Vice President Stephan Melendez, ’13
Junior Stephen Melendez landed the position of vice president easily, as he ran unopposed. Melendez has been involved in football, basketball and publications, and also partakes in serving a popular dish for lunch: “Stephan’s Burritos.”
Melendez has been attending the school for five years, but didn’t become a part of the student leadership class until this year. Melendez’s goal for his new postition revolves around his desire to serve the student body as well as his president.
Fries: What does being VP mean to you? How will you work to live up to expectations?
Melendez: Vice president is not just a title but an opportunity to help make my school better. Vice president is an open door to show what true, godly leadership is. I don’t want to just live up to expectations as second-in-command to the president, but I want to go above and beyond the expectations.
Fries: What are your goals for this year?
Melendez: Some of the goals that I want to see happen is to unify our school in spirit and as a student body. Also, have more rallies and fun things for students to make this year different than the others. This year I really want to emphasize our “We are One” theme by creating a comfortable environment where we can become a family.
Fries: Do you feel that your position as VP revolves mostly around service?
Melendez: I want to be a servant first to God, then to my president and fellow students. I want all students to know that they can come to their VP and talk to or get help on anything from the smallest to the largest problems. My personal goal is to serve God by serving the student body.
Rally Commissioner Kristen Rosenthal, ’13
As a student on campus for five years and a member of the leadership team for three, junior Kristen Rosenthal ran unopposed for the role of rally commissioner. Rosenthal participates in volleyball and basketball as well as contributing to the publications classes.
Though she ran unopposed, Rosenthal still feels honored to serve the student body this year through rallies.
Fries: Why did you chose to run for rally commissioner rather than the other ASB positions?
Rosenthal: I chose to run as rally commissioner, because I feel like that is an aspect of Fresno Christian that needs a help that I can provide. I have a few ideas to get our students pumped up this year.
Fries: What is one idea that you are the most excited to implement this year?
Rosenthal: An idea I had was to hold a night rally off-campus. I think it would be more affective than a traditional rally, because since it is off-campus the idea of being in school and wanting to leave is gone. That way, everybody can focus on having fun as a student body and getting pumped up for the athletics this year.
Fries: What would you like to see from the students this year in order to make the rallies a success?
Rosenthal: For this year’s rallies to be fun and exciting, I really need the student body to get into the activities planned and come out of their comfort zone to be able to have good rallies.
For more information on student leadership, read the May 18 article West Sequoia League schools gather at FC.