Whether dressing up for Spirit Week or planning grade-wide socials, class representatives are in charge of promoting spirit throughout their grade. Elections for these positions took place Tuesday, May 13; each candidate gave a speech to their grade, and students voted through an electronic ballot afterwards. Three representatives were elected per grade for the 2025-26 school year.
Student leadership adviser Lauren Sekula said she encourages students to run even if they are not sure they will win.
“If you’re thinking about running,” Sekula said, “and you’re passionate about just being an active member in the Archer community and trying to represent the needs of your grade level, definitely run.”
Sophie Salehi (’28) is a current ninth grade representative who was re-elected for the 2025-26 school year. She said she originally ran in seventh grade because her older sister, Sara Salehi (’26) — who will be 2025-26 school year student body president — inspired her to.
“I just keep doing it because it’s so much fun for me, and I love promoting spirit throughout our grade,” Salehi said. “StuCo is getting our grade really hyped for school spirited events.”
Current 10th grade representative Sloane Fitzgibbon (’27) decided to run for office again and was re-elected as a representative for the 2025-26 school year. Fitzgibbon said she ran because she wanted to promote more spirit in her grade next year and believes she can make that happen. She also shared that she loves her grade and wants to enhance their experience at Archer through her role.
“We needed a little bit more spirit in our grade and I’m a very organized person, and I knew that I could do things to help my grade,” Fitzgibbon said. “I also just really love my grade. I think they’re all amazing people, and I just wanted to do everything to support them and make sure they had the best experience.”
Students who are thinking of running should present their most authentic selves so their peers are not intimidated. She said it is important to have fun and enjoy this process.
“People want to see you having a lot of fun and being vulnerable and don’t be afraid to show your full personality as it is,” Salehi said. “Because if you don’t, people will be more intimidated by your super formal, speech-giving self.”
Fitzgibbon said a challenging part of being on student council is having the responsibility of representing her whole grade and making sure they are happy.
“The most challenging part is probably making sure everyone’s needs are fulfilled, just because obviously we have a grade of around 70 [people], so it’s kind of hard to make everyone happy,” Fitzgibbon said. “Especially [making] the teachers happy too. We need to tell my grade what’s attainable and what’s not attainable.”
Sekula said she especially encourages juniors to run for their senior year, noting that there are several student council positions open to them, including the four spots on the executive board and the three class representatives.
“I think it’s so admirable to put yourself out there and to talk about your wants and needs as a community member,” Sekula said. “I would say if anybody is even thinking about [running for student council] just do it regardless of what [you] think the outcome might be.”
