New Year, New Leaders

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Candidates discuss student council elections at the opening pep rally on Wednesday, August 30th, 2023. (Left to right: Bethel, Foley, Hugg, Lang, Palecek)

It’s that time of year again at Catholic High School. It’s election season, and the student council election is a time-old tradition of CHS. “It has been a thing as far back as I can remember, including when I was a freshman in 1984,” said Head of School Steve Straessle. 

Election season begins with primary voting, where the seniors vote for the top six candidates. Then candidates begin their campaigns. Candidates hang posters in the hallways and cafeteria. The main campaign speeches will be delivered Wednesday, September 6th, where they all will fight for themselves on the stand. Following the speeches, the students will cast their final vote.

All of the grades’ votes are weighted; the higher the grade, the more valuable the vote. “The freshmen don’t get a vote because they are brand new and generally don’t know who the seniors are and who would be a good leader, as well as what the school stands for and what leadership here looks like,” said Mr. Straessle.

Student Council Elections impact everyone. In many ways, they will decide the direction of the school year. “The student body officers work with the administration of the school to create a uniquely crafted atmosphere for the year,” said Mr. Straessle.

The first candidate is Reeves Bethel. He is the president of the Pickleball Club and is involved with Mu Alpha Theta, REACH, and the Investment Club. Bethel wants to create special experiences for his classmates. “I want us to be our own class and not like every other year,” says Bethel. He has high hopes for this school year, and he has the drive to make things happen, “I want to be involved with the student body and the school in general as much as possible.”

The second candidate is Riley Foley. Foley is the Head of Staff in ROTC, and he has a lot of leadership experience. “I have been a Boy Scout, Eagle Scout, and I am a managing editor for the Rocket Times.” Foley has been published multiple times on the Rocket Times and Lift Off News. Foley wants to impact Catholic High in a positive way; he wants every student to be heard. “I care about the student body and want everyone to have their voice heard,” said Foley. 

The third candidate is Thomas Hugg. Hugg is the current Treasurer of REACH and is ready to take on more leadership roles at Catholic High School. He works in broadcast journalism; some even know him from the credits of the comical broadcast videos. Hugg is confident in his ability to perform as Class President. “I am a hard worker, and I am ready to help guide our student body to a great year,” said Hugg.

The fourth candidate is Jameson Lang. Lang is a member of Mu Alpha Theta and the lacrosse team. Lang describes himself as a reliable candidate who will put the good of the school over his own. “I am running to be the student body president because I know that I can make a positive impact on the school and all of the students.” He prides himself in being a good leader, “In a leader, some of the most important characteristics are trustworthiness, reliability, accountability, the ability to listen, and integrity. I feel that I represent these characteristics.”

The fifth candidate is Rett Palecek. Palecek is the president of REACH, and he loves supporting the school. Palecek is enthusiastic about the upcoming election. He is confident in his leadership skills and believes the school would be in good hands under him. “I could lead the school pretty well and bring the school together through friendships and school pride,” says Palecek. “I feel like I could get student sections going and excited.” Rett has a unique approach when it comes to campaign tactics. “I’m not doing a lot, I feel that it is better to not pressure people to vote for you. If they know you and like you they will vote for you.” 

The sixth candidate is Brooks Ward. He is the captain of the CHS football team, and he plays baseball. Ward has committed to the Air Force Academy where he will continue his baseball career. Ward wants to provide freshmen with a much better experience than he had. “My class was robbed of our freshman year due to Covid, so I want to give them an opportunity that my class wasn’t given and provide an unforgettable experience.” In terms of campaign strategy, Ward is showing the voters that he can handle the responsibilities of the position. “That is showing my ability to manage multiple things at once, helping other students, or creating an enjoyable environment in the classroom,” said Ward.

No matter which candidate is successful in their journey to Student Body President, they are all sure they will serve the school well. The campaign speeches will be delivered on September 6th. Mr. Straessle can recall a clever speech, at the time Marvin Boyd was running for Student Body President. “He talked about being part of something bigger than oneself, and how the outside of a person has value but the inside is more important.”  During his speech he was holding a black balloon. “He ended his speech by saying that the outside of an individual is the part of him that everyone sees, but that it is the inside that causes one to rise to the top. Once he said that he released the balloon, and it floated up,” said Straessle. Marvin Boyd then went on to become the Class President for that year.

Nicholas Frelin

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Gage Bennett

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