Scecina’s student leaders rise to the challenges
Seniors Emaleigh Hines (left) and Anthony Higgins lead the 2020-21 Scecina Student Council.
The 2020-21 school year has thrown many obstacles in front of students trying to experience a traditional school year. Student leaders are at the forefront of trying to figure out how to create a memorable and productive year.
Instead of the usual election by the whole school, students who were running for the Scecina Student Council this year were interviewed by Catholic Theology teacher Ms. Margaret Zeh Fulford and Assistant Principal Jesse Purvis, who chose the officers. Student Council meetings have been a virtual affair.
“I’ve been online for all of our student council meetings,” said senior Emaleigh Hines, president of the student body. “That’s been weird, not being in there.”
Related story: Spotlight on Scecina’s Student Ambassadors
This fall, student leaders organized Homecoming events, a COVID care package drive, and TLC, an annual fundraiser for a Christmas giving tree program for two families in need. StuCo’s annual canned food drive that usually occurs in November before Thanksgiving has been pushed back to the spring.
Homecoming planning went through several stages, said senior Anthony Higgins, vice president of the student body.
“We tried to do what we did last year. Last year we actually had a dance outside,” he said. “But then (this year) we slowly started to scale down things for social distancing reasons.
“We were able to organize a PowderPuff game. That was fun,” he said.
Seniors chose a theme (Board Games) for the traditional Homecoming hall decorating competition among the four classes, which the seniors won with their inspired version of Candyland.
The TLC fundraising drive was cut a little short, but the shopping for two families goes on – via Amazon, said Emily.
“Not everyone is going to be able to participate. Normally each class would get two families, and we’d actually go out shopping. Last year the juniors went shopping and we have wrapping parties to wrap the gifts,
“Everyone normally wants to do the TLC stuff, it’s fun to do,” said Emaleigh, who’s been on Student Council for each of her four Scecina years. She has a scholarship to Marian University and plans to become a special education teacher.
Anthony, who was a junior class representative last year, has been applying to colleges, including Purdue, Rose-Hulman and wants to study mechanical engineering.
“I think we all kind of knew from tone of last year. We were doing Student Council meetings online already and I think we knew that’s how it was going to be. Everything now has as much sense of being online as possible to get everyone involved,” he said.
For the spring, they are wondering whether they can have a prom.
“That’s the one major thing that we’re looking at, probably finding an alternative to prom,” said Anthony.
The 2020-21 Student Council
Student Body moderator, Mr. Purvis
President, Emaleigh Hines
Vice President, Anthony Higgins
Senior Class moderator, Ms. Zeh Fulford
President, Olivia Smith
Vice President, Kaylee Spears
Ysenia Acevedo, Jack Eichholtz, Grason Holt, Daniel Linares, Diamond Williams Hayes
Junior moderator, Mr. Getty
President, Kylie Manley
Vice President, Abby Hines
Layden Adair, Morgan McNulty Rebecca Rayl, Isabelle Smith, Emily Vasquez
Sophomores, Ms. Mead
President, Allison Daves
Vice President, Caley Henley
Maddie Hines, Ava Smith, Kiya Sumner, Helen Tackett
Lucy Williamson
Freshmen, Mr. Black
President, Myanna Navarra
Vice President, Tanner McCormick-Messer
Cecilia Carey, Lilly Cunagin, Charley Potthast, Forrest Schroeder, Ellen Stillions
