Did you know that student council was founded in 350 BC when Plato brought philosophers together at his school for philosophers? Not here at Harrison High School though… Mrs. Hasenohr isn’t THAT old–she isn’t old at all!
At both Harrison Junior School and Harrison High School, Student Council is essential to the fun events that students enjoy. They organize events such as the Homecoming parade, including the floats. They also organize dances and spirit weeks. There are many volunteering opportunities as well, such as schedule distribution, Camp Wildcat, Pep Assemblies, elementary school nights and more.
Our student council includes 123 students, and it consists of three groups: the students who run for class office, the student who apply to join, and the leadership team that going in the same direction. Each class has leaders who were elected by their peers. Each grade is represented by a President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These elections are held in May for sophmores, juniors, and seniors; you may remember all the signs in the hallways and the don’t-call-them-bribes snacks that were handed out by hopeful candidates.
For some student, though, running for office seems way too stressful. Students can also apply to join student council with a simple form turned in to Mrs. Hasenhohr. From this pool of people, student council students vote for those who best fit the job of representing and serving the school. This year, the general Student Council officers are President Heidi Reis, Vice President of Activities Jay Vogel, Vice President of Membership Jessica Deiser, Secretary Ava Bentley, and last but not least Public Relations Gaven Johnson. Each of these officers plays their part in making student council run smoothly. Whether it is taking notes, posting on social media, serving on a committee, or leading the meetings, these students are serving our school and growing their leadership skills.
In schools across nations, there are many different opinions about Student Council. A student newspaper in Switzerland has a negative view of what student council can accomplish: “The Student Council does not deliver on promises, listen to what students want, or do anything,” while other schools, like this school newspaper in Canada think they are great opportunities: “Being elected on to your high school’s student council provides you with a unique opportunity to grow as a person.” In our school, the Student Council teacher Mrs. Hasenohr is more Canadian than Swiss, and thinks that Student Council is a great way to get work done and grow student capacity. She said that “the best part of Student Council is being involved in planning events like homecoming week for our student body”.
If a student is interested in joining Student Council, they should see Mrs. Hasenohr in room 237 or Mrs. McLean in room 236. You cannot join the club for the 2024-2025 school year, but we encourage you to sign up for 2025-2026. In order to be part of Student Council, you must fill out an application and agree to represent our core values, attend meetings, help plan events for the student body, and volunteer. Applications come out in May to run for a class officer position or join Student Council for the following year.
