Recently, Mount Madonna School (MMS) middle and high school students elected peer representatives to the Student Government Association (SGA). Senior Amelie Zands, who served last year as an eleventh grade representative, will serve as student body president.
The class representatives are: Lagi Hunnicutt, Mordecai Coleman and Zands, grade 12; Lennon Smith and Rosemary Konviser, grade 11; Noa Zands and Victory Gulizia, grade 10; Covin Banwell, Marlowe Yen and Minami Wu, grade nine. Middle school SGA representatives are still being finalized; watch for an announcement coming soon.
“I was really interested in running for student government again this year because of the experience I had being part of it last year,” said Amelie Zands. “We all worked together to set up different events, such as the Homecoming activities, it was inspiring to see how much fun everyone had – and that many of the events included lower school students felt so good.
“It feels really nice to be involved with doing something that brings people joy,” she continued. “and I’m especially excited that SGA can create events to bring buddies from throughout the school together. Our SGA council has so much enthusiasm and good energy this year!”
Student council representatives will serve for the whole school year. Homecoming spirit week events in October and Prom in the spring are two of the main activities organized by SGA. During a recent meeting, the SGA filled its officer positions: Lagi Hunnicutt will serve as vice president, Rosemary Konviser and Victory Gulizia as secretary and Lennon Smith as treasurer. SGA also added the new role of historian, which is being filled by Noa Zands.
“We want to have a lot more action on the SGA Instagram account this year,” said Amelie Zands. “It’s a great way to keep the student body informed, and Instagram is a great way to promote bonding among our student community. Noa, as historian, will take the lead on engagement, with more “personalized” posting and pictures highlighting events and building excitement. Anyone wanting to follow SGA can find us on Instagram at MountMadonnaSchool_SGA
Following are reflections from several representatives on their interest in student government.
“I want to be a representative because the concerns of the student body are a top priority of mine and I want every student in the school to feel confident in the fact that their opinions are recognized and valued. I believe that everyone in the school, regardless of grade, should have a say in issues concerning school culture and its environment. Mount Madonna prides itself on being an inclusive and equitable learning environment and my goal is to make sure that everyone in this space truly feels like that is the case.
“I aim to be an open-minded and welcoming individual that my peers will feel comfortable enough to come to and know that they will be heard. Student government is important to me because it is a direct and absolute way for the student body to take leadership to make the school a better place. As a representative, I am determined to see that this space is what we make of it and to continue to celebrate everyone’s individuality and differences in the pursuit of inclusivity.” – Lagi Hunnicutt, grade 12
“I ran for treasurer because I want to help make our school even better. My job is to manage student government’s money and make sure it’s used for things that really matter to all of us. I promise to keep track of our funds carefully and make sure we spend them on fun and helpful activities that everyone can enjoy. I plan to make it easy for students to see where the money is going and what it’s being used for, so there’s no confusion. I want to make sure that everyone feels included and that all students’ voices are heard when it comes to how SGA’s money is spent. Let’s make this year a great one together!” – Lennon Smith, grade 11
“I am interested in making this school more fun, and community bonds strong, so that every student, faculty and staff member feels like they belong. I am so excited to be helping plan prom this year, and I think SGA is pretty willing to help out any issue that pops up throughout the year.” – Minami Wu, grade 9
“This is my fourth year on student government and I’m very excited to be representing my class again this year. Making sure that everyone has equal opportunities, and feels safe, heard, and seen has always been a big priority in my life, because everyone deserves to have a voice and be believed. SGA has been an opportunity for me to help make that possible. I really like working together, getting feedback, planning events and making positive changes for the school, and it’s very fulfilling to actually be able to see the difference that I’m making in the community.
“I’m very excited to host all of the homecoming activities we’ve planned for this month, as well as prom later in the year. I look forward to these events each year and I love being one of the people that makes them happen. I think providing at least a few fun events that students can look forward to is really important to break up the year of rigorous academics.” – Rosemary Konviser, grade 11
