Student Danielle Hodgins is keen on establishing a student council at Southern Okanagan Secondary School.
Callum Mathieson photos
Students at Southern Okanagan Secondary School (SOSS) are talking about more changes, not in the buildings because that has been done; they’re talking about political changes.
These changes could mean the start of a student council.
A student council would allow the opportunity for students to develop leadership skills, work collaboratively with other students on important educational issues, and learn about decision-making and democracy.
Grade 10 student Arin Martins explained how he would love to run for council and encouraged others to “vote for him” in the coming year’s student council election.
Martins said, “If elected I would like to make it a safer, more fun environment for my students.”
On a lighter note, student Eamon Riordan-Short said that if he was elected, “all students would have weekly viewings of the movie Shrek.”
Student council is made up of students, who are elected members and have a responsibility to represent their peers. It helps share students’ ideas, interests, and concerns with teachers, school principals, and municipal leaders.
Currently, there is no student council at SOSS but the administration has found a suitable alternative in offering a “leadership” class.
“It’s a good thing to have a student council, SOSS has the leadership class, our alternative to student council. But we would be delighted and supportive to have a student council here,” said Principal Marcus Toneatto.
The leadership class takes on many different themes such as fundraising for global programs, including Free the Children and money for the Philippines recovering from the tragic typhoon. The leadership class also organizes some events within the school such as “silence for bullying” campaign.
Although students have opportunities to develop their leadership skills in the program, along with learning from Alison Podmorow’s Link Crew class, many students would like to see a student council at the school.
In 1980 SOSS did have a student council. The president at the time was a young Ron Hovanes. Yes, Oliver’s mayor attributes his time on student council as the inspiration for his current political career. He said it’s time the school voted in some new young leaders.
“As a town council, we would like to see some participation with our council. We would like an opportunity for students from the high school to come forward and let us know what their concerns or issues might be, let us know what activities are coming down the road or any support they would like from the community.”
Hovanes suggested that coming to an evening Town council meeting would be a good opportunity for a student delegation to be seen and heard on the local cable channel to let the community know what is going on at the high school.
The mayor said council member Larry Schwartzenberger contacted the school to see if there can be any student participation with council.
“Town council is sensitive to the recent setbacks the school has undergone with the fire and the rebuild and we were just waiting for the school to reopen and to be ready to go,” Hovanes said.
The mayor said they have let vice-principal Tracy Harrington know that the Town would like to see student involvement with council’s ideas and decision-making.
“We need to hear from everybody in the community to make quality decisions and that includes the youth.”
The only thing stopping the creation of a student council is a leader or a group of leaders who will spearhead the movement.
“If there was a want for student council I would absolutely be in full support,” said Toneatto.
Based on his time on student council, Hovanes advised there really does need to be a group of students who want to be “politically” involved with the school and the community and willing to put in the time and effort to lead the way into the future.
Establishing a successful student council would also require guidance from a willing teacher who could help the council develop its bylaws and constitution and who could act as a liaison and/or an adviser.
Will students soon be marking a ballot for their very own council? They might in the near future if they and faculty members can work together.
Callum Mathieson
Special to the Chronicle
