2023 3rd Form SGA Candidate Statement

Candidates:
Tommy Gill
Leila Alobeidy
Jeb Granberry
Ben Choi
Sahana Jha
Caitlin Tan
Ben Lee
Jackson Bala
Ella Armstrong
Adam Krafczek
Joseph Kouperschmidt
Saoirse Harlan

Tommy Gill

Hello, my name is Tommy Gill and I am running for SGA Senator for the Class of 2027. I am running for SGA because I believe that with the right person in office, there can be a real change made to the school and community around it. I believe that I am the best candidate because I am hard-working and determined when it comes to this certain topic. Also, I believe that I will be able to excel in this position because I will be able to work well with my classmates and form good bonds with our community and the people in it. I believe that the SGA Senators are representatives for their respective forms. They are a voice for their form to discuss bigger problems to higher councils or groups. The Senators are also a pair that will be able to relay the ideas and problems of the form to the school and community leaders. Again, I also believe that the position could be positively utilized if the correct people are put in place and I believe that I could be one of those positively affecting people. Thank you very much for reading my paper and have a good rest of your day!

Ella Armstrong

When doing icebreakers during the first week, one of my teachers asked us why we chose Hill. As we all went around and shared our reasons, I noticed one similarity. Most students were attracted by the sense of community and kindness that people at The Hill showed them throughout the admission and decision process.

Though the community is already strong at Hill, I want to continue building upon its foundation and make each Third Former’s time this year as memorable and enjoyable as possible. A community should be designed by all the people who are a part of it, not just the leaders. If I were a Senator, I would promise to take the time to listen to any feedback anyone has and be open to criticism and new ideas. I am a very approachable person and am always willing to make time to listen to others. I would also ensure that student feedback is presented before the rest of the SGA and doesn’t just end up as another forgotten page in notes app. I would represent your ideas confidently, try to advocate to find a solution to your feedback or bring your vision to life, and then report back to you on what is being done to make your voice heard. I also want to find a way to incorporate more fun activities for third-formers during the school year to take away from stress and give everyone a break from their work. No matter the outcome of the election, I am excited to get to know everyone in my class better this year and am determined to make this year a great one.

Saoirse Harlan
I want to be on the SGA because I want to make a positive impact on the Hill School community as well as represent the wants and needs of my form. Being on the SGA is not only a position of leadership, but also of responsibility to make known the most important desires of 3rd form. I am the best candidate for this class because I am genuine. I have only the best interests of 3rd form in mind as I run for this position. Not only do I look to see a future of success for 3rd form, but also that of a close and unified community. If elected as 3rd form SGA representative, my first course of action will be to help reduce the separation between day students and boarding students. We have the next four years together, so why start off divided? In addition to that, I would also like to host more social events and class bonding experiences to bring the community closer together. Hill is known as the family boarding school and it is time we act like a family. The class of 2027 is one that will leave a lasting mark on Hill, so let me lead this journey and make an impact that will last years to come.

Ben Choi
Dear Students of The Hill,

I am writing to express my sincere desire to be a part of the Student Government Association (SGA) and to represent our form as a freshman.

Firstly, I believe I am fit to be on the SGA because I am passionate about serving others and making our school a better place. I believe that as a freshman representative, I can bring a fresh perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to the table. I am a good listener and I genuinely care about the concerns and suggestions of my peers. By being a part of the SGA, I can be a voice for our form, ensuring that our opinions are heard and considered when important decisions are being made.

In my eyes, the Student Government has a crucial role in bridging the gap between the student body and the school administration. It is a place where students are able to project their concerns, ideas and suggestions and work together in collaboration with the SGA to beneficially help the school develop. This may include the SGA hosting events, initiatives and also fundraisers to enhance the school spirit.

If elected, I will work hard towards three main ideas: communication, student well-being, and extracurricular opportunities. Firstly, I will strive towards improving student communication with the SGA and our form by regularly seeking feedback and being open to them in general whenever. On top of that utilizing various platforms to announce form wide messages making sure everyone is informed about important matters. Secondly, I will work on promoting better student well-being by advocating for improved mental and physical health resources, prioritizing positive school culture, and pointing out issues such as bullying or peer pressure that may bring the school spirit down. Lastly, I am committed to expanding extracurricular opportunities by collaborating with clubs and organizations to offer a diverse range of activities that cater to different interests and talents.

In conclusion, I believe that I am the best candidate to represent the third form at The Hill School for our SGA. I have the passion, grit, and dedication to serve a make a positive impact on our community. I am ready to listen, communicate and work together with all of you to ensure that are voices count, and our needs are met. Let’s make this year the best it can be.

Thank you for considering my candidacy.
Sincerely,
Ben Choi

Joseph Kouperschmidt
Hi, my name is Joseph Kouperschmidt, but if you would prefer it, you can call me Joe. Why am I running for SGA? That is a great question that I will try to answer in the most convincing fashion.

You see…I am not your average Joe, pun intended.

When I think of SGA, I think of one word: government. In my view, I believe that our government here at the Hill, and governments around the world, were built to serve the people. Our job as your “senators” is to represent you.,and that is what makes me so intrigued by the SGA.

What makes me feel the happiest is seeing the people that I like and respect have a smile on their face. Just a simple gesture like this makes my day, and if you are wondering who is in this group that I like and respect, it’s everybody.

And that’s what makes me special in my opinion.

My opponents are here to serve you but I am taking serving you to another level. I want to make all your needs come true.

Joe, Joey, Joseph, what are you going to do if you are elected, you may ask! I acknowledge the amount of intelligence and kindness that my opponents have and I respect each and every one of them, but if I am to be elected I would take communication to another level. I will always be prepared to answer questions you may have, and I will facilitate more efficient channels of communications so we can bond as a community, and please don’t hesitate to approach me and ask me if I can do something for you, because I will.

I’m motivated to run for this position because I want to help our community through all the challenges that may face us during our first year here. I want to put a smile on everybody’s face, connect our form, and be a part of the best class Hill has ever witnessed!

Sahana Jha
Hey, Third Form!

If I haven’t already had the pleasure of meeting you, my name is Sahana Jha, and I’m running for the 2023-2024 female third-form Senator.

I believe that I’d be the best candidate for the position because of my unique background as someone close enough to the school to have grown up around the culture of the area while still being far enough to board. I’ve also had a lot of previous experience in positions of leadership, having been a student leader, volleyball team captain, head of the newspaper, and trusted “explainer-er” at my previous school. I swear to do my very best to represent the third form and make sure that we are getting the most out of the Hill experience as is possible!

My goals for this year involve broadcasting the third form voice and opinion and making sure that every student feels valued, understood, and safe, as well as making sure that this year involves a lot of fun activities and events for us all to enjoy. I think that the most important this is to cultivate a thriving, positive community and to make sure that everyone is heard and appreciated for who they are; as such, I’d be happy to talk to and help anyone who requires assistance, and to work with the SGA to solve these problems.

Caitlin Tan
Hi everyone! I am Caitlin, and I am a third-former this year of class 2027. Here I am writing a candidacy statement to run for the SGA. I believe I am the best candidate in my form for various reasons.

To start with, I have rich experiences with leadership roles. I was a House captain in my previous school, which was the leadership role for managing the four houses (like those houses in Harry Potter, except that we have different names). We had meetings every week, and I got to cooperate with students in different grades. Besides school leaderships, I am also a good leader in daily school work. In group projects, I’d always love to be and have the skills to be a leading character, and I am not afraid of facing difficulties. As an eight-year fencing athlete, the perseverance I learned through fencing has helped me in many parts of my life, including my ability to lead. I am also a person that is willing to communicate. Any time when facing problems, I actively reach out to solve them. “The solution to every problem starts with proactive communication” is my lifelong moral that I keep in mind for all the time.

These are my experiences of leadership before, but I believe that most importantly, I actually love the Hill school community. Hill was my dream high school that I wished to join, and I am more than excited to be a member of the Hill family. As a third former, everything is new to me, but I already feel a sense of belonging after only three weeks. I believe that SGA is a great way for students to know how the school works, and use our own ideas to change different aspects of the school. Every small idea can eventually turn out to be extremely impactful to everyone’s daily life. I also think it is a great chance for me to know more people and let more people know me. If I can join the SGA, I will have more resources to know even more about Hill, and possibly make the community even better. For instance, as an international student, being away from home with such a long distance and such a long traveling time is a very tough change. Just in the past few weeks, I suffered from homesickness, and was in a sad mood every time when I thought about home. What I need was talking with someone that I trust, and luckily, I found my advisor. However, not everyone might be able to find a trusted person to talk and cry with in the first week. We can put more attention towards homesick people and find ways to let them feel better during the first couple weeks. This should be beyond a presentation simply telling everyone ways to deal with it, but rather a more in-depth conversation with each student. This is just my very first impression when I join the Hill, and there will be more thoughts as the days go on. In my eyes, this is what I imagined that SGA will do. If I am elected, I will continue to work on this process of identifying problems and then finding solutions to improve them.

Ben Lee
As a third former, I believe that fresh and unique perspectives are key to creating positive change on the community and contributing new ideas to the government. Having served as a prefect at my previous school and as a leader and co-founding member of the school student-run TV news channel, I’ve developed a strong passion for representing my peers, and brings me qualities which align with the values and responsibilities for this role. Together with being co-captain of my previous school swim team, captain of my previous swimming club team, my previous experiences have honed my collaboration and communication skills, as well as the abilities to become an active listener, good follower, and a passionate leader.

In my previous school, I was a prefect in the ‘Student Voice’ strand, hence I had a profound belief in the power of student voices. This experience allowed me to work closely with my peers and school administrators to bridge the gap between student concerns and school policies. I learned the importance of effective communication, negotiation, understanding the needs of my fellow students, and looking at problems in all points of view. Our school community is incredibly diverse, and within this diversity lies a wealth of unique voices of opinions and suggestions. Voices are powerful because they can convey lots, and through looking for sparkling ideas, we find positive ways to further develop our environment. I see the SGA as a platform where we can voice our collective aspirations and concerns. I believe it’s crucial to ensure that all these voices are heard, considered, and represented.

Furthermore, as leader of my previous school’s student-run TV news channel, the experience taught me the value of transparency, storytelling, and the impact that effective communication can have in fostering unity. If elected as your SGA Senator, I will be committed to representing our shared interests, advocating for positive changes, and fostering an inclusive and welcoming school environment. I will ensure that your concerns, ideas, and suggestions reach the right ears and lead to meaningful action and responses.

I’m excited about the opportunity to contribute to our school community and work with you all to make it an even better place.

Thank you.

Adam Krafczek
I am running for SGA because I am committed to making our form and our school better in ways my peers and teachers would like. I have had a tough start at The Hill, but think that challenges bring out the best in people, and I am ready to change the course of my time here. I think that I would be the best candidate to represent my form because I am relatable and can form relationships with my peers to better know what they want out of their Hill experience. Even thought I had a rough start, I think I am truly a team player. I can get back on course because just like in sports, I don’t give up and I am going to work harder to be a better version of myself for my future and for the kids that I go to school with now.

In my eyes, SGA listens to students requests and concerns and then talk about ways to use some of the ideas with teachers and faculty members. It is important to make sure I am listening to everyone’s ideas because I would represent all of the form. If I was elected, I would come up with ideas to make the school better as well as listen to ideas from other students and try to represent the 3rd form as best as I can and give them the best reputation. One idea I have is to make a social night where everyone in our form can meet since we are still new and we can get more familiar with each other and make friends that aren’t just in our hall or in classes or on our teams. I think that it would help bring our form together more.

Lastly, I know the beginning of the year has been rocky for me but I am ready to use my energy for good in the school and come up with good ideas for our class. Thank you.

Jackson Bala
If I were elected to be a 3rd form Senator , I would bring focus and action around students’ requests and ideas along with flaws within our community that could use refinement. I would love to be a part of the SGA because I get enjoyment out of helping others. In my past, I have held positions within my school such as school Secretary, as well as school President. While in these student government roles, I brought change and improvement to my school and its community. Some enhancements I helped establish were improving the school’s social media. My school had such a great campus life but with the new world being mostly on the internet, people looking at the school couldn’t see all we had to offer. Soon after my proposal to improve the schools online student, whether it was athletic results or even our musical industry’s great performances, many of our athletes and artists were shown on web pages and Instagrams. I understand that The Hill has already improved greatly in this aspect, but my point is that my creativity and my critical thinking is what would make me the best possible candidate for the position. I believe that the SGA’s job or reason is to not only look out for the students at The Hill, but also to look out for The Hill school in general. Student government strives to support and improve student life in many different ways. From creating new rules or mandates, to helping improve campus facilities. If I were to be elected, not only would I continue with aiding the student body, but I would do it to the best of my ability.

Leila Alobeidy
Hello Hill community, I am Sadia Alobeidy, and I am very excited to be a part of The Hill School’s Student Government Association! I would love to be on the SGA because I always knew and dreamed of making the world a better place and using what I know and receiving feedback from other people on how to do so. Similarly, when I knew I would be attending Hill, I knew I would do whatever I could to improve upon it and make an impact on my community. I believe that the SGA is the best way to do so. I am extremely passionate; above all, I am most concerned about the health and safety of my peers and to create a safe and happy space for everyone here. I want to make a difference and help improve the experience of those around me, so why not start now?

I believe the SGA is a society where students from all grades gather to advocate for themselves and their peers to help build The Hill School and create positive impacts to help the whole community grow, thrive, and flourish. The Hill is a community with tremendous potential, and I believe the SGA’s job is to stretch that potential as far as it can go. If I am elected, I promise to meet the expectations. I will frequently take feedback from my form and provide a safe space for them to socialize and communicate with others. I will advocate for what is best for all of us and do whatever I can to make Hill a happy learning community and provide a safe and supportive community for everyone. My job as a third form senator is to make sure everyone’s voice is heard and to understand the needs of everyone and what will help the facilities, students, faculty, and everyone else in the community—but especially to recognize what my form needs and to help meet those expectations. I will serve as someone who you can talk to about any concerns you may have. I want to do whatever I can to help, even if that means just listening to what you have to say. Everyone’s feelings matter, and I am here to represent everyone and do my best to make sure everyone is thriving here on this Hill.

Jeb Granberry
The Student Government Association is a prestigious group of students that receive the duty to relay the opinions and ideas of students to administrators to help improve the space that many people, including myself, call home. Although I have been on campus a mere three weeks, I have noticed there are a few faults to what I had set the unrealistic expectation of being a flawless boarding school experience. As SGA Senator I would try to help improve the inability to travel to dorms of the opposite sex and the inaccessibility to get food after final check-in at night. I want to be in the SGA to be able to provide the input that I hear from fellow classmates to teachers that otherwise may not hear that feedback… Being an SGA Senator is an extremely honored title that is not to be taken lightly. If I were to be elected to the council, the first thing I would try to improve is dorm visitation polices. I’ve heard from many classmates already that they wish they could at least be in the common room of a dorm of the opposite sex, as it would allow more time for bonding. Although I understand why the rule is in place against it, it hinders the ability to bond as a community outside of class, where most friendships are made. Changing this policy allows students to meet the people living in the dorm you might never have seen otherwise, expanding your tree of friends, and truly emphasize the aspect of family and community at “The Family Boarding School” .

Here at Hill, you have many young adults growing and who may want to grab a quick bite after studying for hours on end. But no student is allowed outside of their dorm on study hall nights after 9:30. Many students do not have access to snacks in their dorm room after study hall. This is a problem I’ve encountered almost every night so far. Having a more accessible option of food, maybe located in the common room, would be a big lifesaver. Adding an equivalent to the rack of food located in the Dining Hall in the dorms somewhere would be beneficial to students that aren’t allowed to leave their dorms and provides an extra layer of food security for students that may run late or even miss dinner.