Freshmen vote on StuCo class representatives
With the exception of one student disqualification, freshman elections go off without a hitch
August 31, 2022
The freshmen class gathered in the Performing Arts Center, PAC, to hear speeches from fellow classmates with hopes of being elected to StuCo on Friday, Aug. 26. A total of 32 freshmen ran for positions, with Gavin Hurt being elected as class president, Elliot Fischer as vice president and Acy VanRheen, Annie Newell, Callaway Clifton, Cannon Fields, Claire Cooper, Gabriel Sommerfeld, Gus Goetsch and Mallory Lux as representatives.
StuCo runs many of Mill Valley’s annual events, including clubsgiving and homecoming. According to StuCo supervisor Erica Matyak, to represent the school well, members must have a variety of personal qualities as well as meet specific criteria, like a good GPA and school standing.
“[Qualities a member should have include] being able to work with a variety of people, being able to communicate whether it be via text or email, and in-person and [being] just a little bit outgoing,” Matyak said.
As a part of the election process, students were required to have their speech approved by the StuCo sponsors. Failure to perform an approved speech can result in a student’s disqualification, such as in the case of freshman Sienna Suderman. Suderman presented a poem, parts of which had not been approved, and was taken off the ballot for representative.
“I really like to write poems. So I was like, this might be funny, so I just wrote a poem,” Suderman said. “I approved it and submitted the speech and [Matyak] was like, ‘great speech, but you probably have to change that line,’ but I didn’t think it would be such a big deal.”
Other than Suderman’s disqualification, the election ran smoothly. Not only did more students run for positions than usual, they also had a high voter turnout, with two thirds of freshmen voting according to Matyak.
Looking forward, Hurt hopes to use his role as freshmen class president to make Mill Valley a better place.
“[I want to] make everyone feel welcome and like they can be who they want to be,” Hurt said.
