A School Full of Leaders

by Emilia Horton

From October 16th to the 18th, Parkersburg South's Student Council went to the 89th

Annual WVASC Fall Convention. Every year, councils from across the state get together to attend workshops, activities, and to elect their state officers for the upcoming year. Last year, our school’s very own Sundance Lewis was elected State Student Council President. And following in Sundance’s footsteps, junior, Olivia Raber, ran for and was elected this year’s state Student Council President. We sat down for a little chat about what this means for Olivia and how the election process ensued.

1. What made you want to run for president?

O: Back in August, Mrs. Moss asked me if I would like to fill a vacant spot on

the Region Five Student Council Summit Trip. On the trip I got to spend time

with last year’s officers and hear about their amazing experiences. I was

really inspired by what I heard and by their encouragements to run for

president.

2. Did you know anything about your opponent before your speeches?

O: Before our speeches, I hadn’t met her. She was from Fairmont Senior High.

3. How did you feel about your odds of winning?

O: So, if you’re running for office, you can only campaign by word of mouth. I

did a ton of talking and connecting with people before my speech. My

opponent and I had very different approaches to our campaign speeches, and

I focused a lot on that word of mouth idea of connecting with and listening to

others. I felt pretty confident in my chances because I felt that my campaign

was highly effective — even though I was a stuttering mess during my

speech.

4. How did you feel when Mrs. Moss announced that you were this year’s State

Student Council President?

O: Waiting for the announcement was agony. It felt like Mrs. Moss was

purposefully avoiding saying who won. I was holding the hand of the girl next

to me so tightly. I was confident in my chances, but I still almost burst into

tears when Mrs. Moss said my name.

5. When do your duties commence?

O: Technically, there are things that I could already be doing, but we have our

first unofficial meeting in November. The former officers will be there to kind

of show us the ropes and offer any guidance.

6. What will those duties entail?

O: Gosh, there are a lot of things. I’ll list a few, but I have a whole binder at

home that details all my duties. I have to put out a newsletter sometime in

November or December, I’ll run all meetings, and I’ll be in charge of

decorating and most activities for Fall Convention next year.

7. What are you most excited about for your year as president?

O: I’m most excited to plan next year’s Fall Convention. It’s our 90th Fall Con ever, so we have a lot of exciting plans in the works! The State Student Council works diligently to get young students involved in student councils across the state, and Olivia Raber will be a wonderful addition to the organization‘s leadership team. Good luck Olivia!