Valerie Davoodzadeh
Writer '19
Is that Friend Really the Best Candidate?
It is that time of the year again where class elections take place! Students are given the
notable opportunity to run for their class’s president, vice president, secretary, speaker, or treasurer. Students consider being part of class office as a privilege, as it gives them a chance to be involved in the amazing school events on a newer level. The student who is lucky enough to receive the position they wish to have is based on the most popular vote. Students elect or re-elect the classmate who they suppose would be an ideal candidate for the position. The winners are announced after the votes have been counted up, and the winners feel that sense of achievement.
Unfortunately, the majority of the students decide to grant their votes towards close friends rather than the peer who would be most capable for the job. They may do this out of obligation to vote for their friend who has been begging. When Junior Natasha Dilamani was asked if she felt that the majority of students are likely to vote for their friends or for who they deem best for the job, she answered “I think friends, but sometimes you vote for your friend because they are actually the best person for the job. People feel comfortable voting for others that the know on a personal level. If you have a friend in office, you would probably feel more comfortable approaching them to suggest an idea”. She states an understandable opinion. It is true that some students might have some really great thoughts they would like to share with the specific class office, but do not feel like leaving their comfort zones to ask someone they have never spoken with. This is why these students decide to vote for a friend they are most secure with.
Students tend to look back on their high school careers in fear that they have not been involved enough by participating in clubs and different extracurricular activities. For this reason, students may take a huge leap and run for class office. When Sophomore Liraz Pirouzian, currently running for her class office, was asked if it is a better idea to elect a student in office who is not as involved in school, or someone who is involved in every extracurricular, she replied, “I think that it is important to elect a student who is right in between. Being involved in no extracurricular activities may result in spare time however, I believe it's important that people in student office are involved in extracurricular activities so they can truly understand the dynamics of our school.” A student running for class office should have some experience or connection with the the way things around Great Neck North work.
Students do not take the time to think about who would be the best person to have a position in class office. Students feel safe to elect friends, without giving the other students running for the same position a chance to shine. Sophomore Lucien Wostenholme, currently running for his class office, was asked why some students elect friends, or elect the same people into office when there are other people in the school with newer ideas to make the school better. He feels that “Based off of two consecutive losses in the class of 2019 elections, I think some students like to elect their friends because of the nature of our school community. For class office especially, friends tend to vote friends into office because there is a certain feeling of responsibility to do so. Certain friend groups have already been established from middle school, elementary school, and usually even further back, and oftentimes these social groups are just unbreakable. Also, from a student’s perspective, class officers don’t really seem to have much of a chance to follow through on their ideas - no matter how innovative or revolutionary they are.” Each and every student has the wonderful potential to bring the school to where it needs to be. If given the chance, students can definitely show what they have to offer as members of class office.
Writer '19
Is that Friend Really the Best Candidate?
It is that time of the year again where class elections take place! Students are given the
notable opportunity to run for their class’s president, vice president, secretary, speaker, or treasurer. Students consider being part of class office as a privilege, as it gives them a chance to be involved in the amazing school events on a newer level. The student who is lucky enough to receive the position they wish to have is based on the most popular vote. Students elect or re-elect the classmate who they suppose would be an ideal candidate for the position. The winners are announced after the votes have been counted up, and the winners feel that sense of achievement.
Unfortunately, the majority of the students decide to grant their votes towards close friends rather than the peer who would be most capable for the job. They may do this out of obligation to vote for their friend who has been begging. When Junior Natasha Dilamani was asked if she felt that the majority of students are likely to vote for their friends or for who they deem best for the job, she answered “I think friends, but sometimes you vote for your friend because they are actually the best person for the job. People feel comfortable voting for others that the know on a personal level. If you have a friend in office, you would probably feel more comfortable approaching them to suggest an idea”. She states an understandable opinion. It is true that some students might have some really great thoughts they would like to share with the specific class office, but do not feel like leaving their comfort zones to ask someone they have never spoken with. This is why these students decide to vote for a friend they are most secure with.
Students tend to look back on their high school careers in fear that they have not been involved enough by participating in clubs and different extracurricular activities. For this reason, students may take a huge leap and run for class office. When Sophomore Liraz Pirouzian, currently running for her class office, was asked if it is a better idea to elect a student in office who is not as involved in school, or someone who is involved in every extracurricular, she replied, “I think that it is important to elect a student who is right in between. Being involved in no extracurricular activities may result in spare time however, I believe it's important that people in student office are involved in extracurricular activities so they can truly understand the dynamics of our school.” A student running for class office should have some experience or connection with the the way things around Great Neck North work.
Students do not take the time to think about who would be the best person to have a position in class office. Students feel safe to elect friends, without giving the other students running for the same position a chance to shine. Sophomore Lucien Wostenholme, currently running for his class office, was asked why some students elect friends, or elect the same people into office when there are other people in the school with newer ideas to make the school better. He feels that “Based off of two consecutive losses in the class of 2019 elections, I think some students like to elect their friends because of the nature of our school community. For class office especially, friends tend to vote friends into office because there is a certain feeling of responsibility to do so. Certain friend groups have already been established from middle school, elementary school, and usually even further back, and oftentimes these social groups are just unbreakable. Also, from a student’s perspective, class officers don’t really seem to have much of a chance to follow through on their ideas - no matter how innovative or revolutionary they are.” Each and every student has the wonderful potential to bring the school to where it needs to be. If given the chance, students can definitely show what they have to offer as members of class office.