Meet the Candidate: Maya Winkler ’18

Meet+the+Candidate%3A+Maya+Winkler+18

1. Choose a leadership quote and in a short paragraph explain how it applies to your “style” of leadership and why.

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower

— Steve Jobs

While there are little to no chances that anyone could match the innovations in the world of tech conceptualized by the mastermind of Apple, I believe than an effective leader is risky. Simply put, leaders strive to make things better. To lead is to show by example to create a positive difference in any circumstance. Jobs’ words perfectly embody how I perceive my own leadership style. I am always seeking new and creative ways to execute change, whether it be in my own life or in the Archer community.

2. As a student council member, what important goals would you have for Student Council? For Archer?

As a member of Student Council, I hope to reshape the council’s agenda to have less of a focus solely on activity planning and more on being a voice for Archer’s students. I hope to create completely student-led conversations to drive the council’s ability to connect students on a deeper level. By continuing the Student Spotlight program and furthering a celebration of everyone’s talents on other levels, I want the Council to be more outspoken in celebrating our peers.
Secondly, I hope to create a Lean In Together Day of Festivities, inviting the other participating all-girls school to an afternoon of celebration. This is a more large-scale goal, so I’d like to work closely with the administration to coordinate a successful Lean in Together Day in the Spring.

Student Council Executive Board candidate Maya Winkler’s yearbook photo.

3. What are your plans for increasing school spirit and student participation at Archer?

Rallying troops to show school spirit can sometimes be an unfortunately difficult task. As a member of student council, I want to have more advertising for each school event weeks before they happen so that students and faculty have time to get “pumped up” before said activities. By creating more video promotions and creating events based on student input before the year begins, panther pride will be beaming from every grade’s hallway.

4. What roles do you think Student Council should play at Archer? Is Student Council currently fulfilling that role? If not, what changes do you propose to make it happen?

I believe that Student Council has done and will continue to do an astounding job at creating a sense of Archer pride through school wide events. I believe it is the role of the Council to create outlets for laughter and fun at a school like Archer, and it certainly already fills that role. In my opinion, Student Council should share its focus on activities with more of a focus on being a voice for students and representing more of the student body’s interest in meetings and year long initiatives.

5. Why do you want to be on Student Council, really?

When I first came to Archer, I knew I wanted to join the Student Council team. I watched these fearless leaders stand up in front of the upper school, lead meetings and school wide events without thinking twice. I’ve always considered myself an extravert, however the most important lesson I’ve learned through the past two years on StuCo is the importance of listening and tapping into your introvert side for the benefit of the rest of the group. I want to be part of Student Council because I feel like I have developed a uniquely creative leadership style that fuses my ability to connect with a large crowd and foster meaningful small group discussions that will benefit the Council and the Archer community as a whole. Plus, Student Council is SO MUCH FUN!