Meet the Candidate: Mia Makower

1) What leadership positions or experiences will make you a strong candidate for Exec Board?

I’ve been a Student Council rep for the past two years (in 10th and 11th grade), and I think the leadership skills I’ve developed while holding this position will greatly benefit me on Exec. I had the privilege of planning the Junior events this year, as well as helping the seniors plan all-school events, such as Spirit Week and Color Wars. Given that I have this experience, I would be able to enter Exec with an idea of how to improve our current systems in the future, and balance the consideration of my peers’ ideas with making realistic decisions about how to improve the school. Additionally, in 9th and 10th grade, I was on ALT, so I am very knowledgeable about Archer’s history, the classes Archer offers, and student life, which could help me make effective decisions that would benefit the greater Archer community. 

2) What three words describe your leadership style, and why?

Three words that describe my leadership style are driven, dedicated, and approachable. When I create a goal, I am determined to make that goal a reality. I am always driven to make changes that better Archer for the students and for the faculty, and I am dedicated to fostering an environment at Archer that is inclusive and community-driven. I also strive to be approachable because I value my peers’ opinions and want them to feel comfortable coming to me with any ideas or concerns.

3) As a student council leader, what are your main priorities for Student Council? For Archer?

As a student council leader, one of my main priorities for Student Council is making every rep feel heard and valued in conversations and in decision-making. I want Student Council to be collaborative and for every member to have an equal role. For Student Council and for Archer as a whole, I would prioritize students’ mental health and help them navigate the stressful waters of middle and high school. My goal is for every student to feel proud that they attend Archer and to also ensure that they have a joyful experience. Students’ mental health precedes any of my academic goals because I want them to feel like they have a tight-knit community that they can always rely on and have a trustful relationship with.

4) What are your plans for building community and inclusion at Archer?

In order to build community and inclusion at Archer, my plans are to have more all-school events and mixing grade levels during mentorship time to make students feel more connected and comfortable around one another. My plan would be to once a month, have girls from different grades talk to each other and hopefully get to know one another on a deeper level. Hopefully, this would help bring our community together and bridge gaps between different grade levels. In terms of all-school events, I would like to dedicate more time to showcasing our student body’s incredible accomplishments, whether it be art, dance, film, ceramics, or athletics. This might be in the form of having more galleries, for example, or celebrating our various sports teams at lunch the day after they win a game. Overall, I think we could make improvements to how we showcase students’ successes.  

5) List all co-curricular activities, school-sponsored or otherwise, that you plan to be involved in next year, including the approximate time you spend on each per week. 

• chess team – meets twice a week after school
• drum lessons – once a week for 30 minutes after school
• leader of Archer’s rock/jazz band – meets once a week at lunch
• Archer Council for the Arts – meets once a week at lunch
• Eastern Star Gallery – meets once a week at lunch