2023 Co-Presidential Candidate Statements

The Candidates:

• Xander Hoishik IV and Evan Sun
• Reet Tharwani and Mason Moore

Questions:

1. Why do you want to run for the SGA? 
2. What do you have to contribute to the school? Briefly describe what you hope to do if elected.
3. What made you choose your running mate?

Xander Hoishik IV

Being from the Phoenixville area, I frequently drove past the school, and my mind would be filled with the seemingly outlandish prospect of attending the school. My parents warned me of the great hill (literally and figuratively) that I would need to climb if I wished to attend the school, and in the years leading up to my high school career, I made it my mission to ensure I had a place at Hill. My attachment to this school was formed before the start of my secondary school search, my Hill ties run deep, and to me, this place is much more than an academic institution. I knew I wanted to run for SGA president from my third form year; I felt a duty to step up my sixth form year to give back to the community that had given so much to me from the start. I can vividly recall my third form-year convocation; I remember listening to Andrew and Sasjha address the entire school as they welcomed us into the new year. I was impressed by how comfortable they were in addressing the community, but I was even more impressed by how the community listened. The SGA presidents serve as one of the central unifying symbols at Hill and can indeed bind the community as a whole together. I want to run for SGA president to unite the school and create a sense of community that allows us to work, live, and thrive how we do best: together. I believe that the figure who attends all Hill sports games, is seen every day at lunch, and addresses the school in large assemblies is central to strengthening our Hill community. To ensure that the ideological role model is preserved, I want to be responsible for serving in SGA. I have taken advantage of all of the countless opportunities Hill has provided me, and I find it only just that I do what I can to give something back to my family: the school, the teachers, the administration, and my fellow students.

My primary objective, if I were to be elected, would be to unify the Hill community and bring the entire school closer than ever. We are all so close already, but we have so much potential to be even closer. In addition to having personal values that align with those of the Hill, I also have the qualifications to back up my ability to lead. I have experience guiding my peers both inside and outside the classroom and pride myself in being easily accessible to all. This year I serve as a day student prefect and have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to help younger day students acclimate to Hill. Inside the classroom, I always seek to take the initiative and help lead group discussions, answer my peers’ questions, and guide students in group projects. Outside of school, I help to lead my band in planning shows, organizing sets, and working with managers and bookers. I greatly value my time management skills, and I have no doubts that they will enable me to place my role as SGA president at the top of my priority list. I can offer the perspective of a day student to the SGA and will be able to speak from experience on any day student matters. I also have a rigorous course load and can have taken seven classes all three years I’ve been at Hill, which provides me with a unique perspective on academics at Hill. I plan to use all of the learning opportunities I’ve had at Hill to lead the student body to achieve the greatest sense of community ever seen on this campus.

I chose Evan Sun to be my running mate because I know that he and I work well together and have the same values, but offer unique perspectives. I wanted to pick work with the individual who I felt I could work most efficiently with, and Evan is that person. Both he and I greatly value the core principles of The Hill and I know that I can trust him to do what’s right in any situation. Evan also offers the perspective of a former international student who has since moved to the US. Being a day student I feel that having a partner from a different background will allow me to make more informed decisions that take into account the needs of the entire community. When deciding who I’d like to run with I solely thought about who I feel has the strongest values, who I work best with, who is most capable, and who I trust to make the best decisions for the community.

Thanks,

Xander Hoishik IV

Evan Sun

As an international student who lived and studied most of my life in Shanghai, then transferred to the United States and living here, I have a strong sense of community. In Shanghai, I grew up in a very diverse community as I lived next to my international school, allowing me to build strong connections with my peers. When I first arrived at Hill during my freshman year, we were all bound to our dorms, unable, or rather unwilling, to interact. The pandemic of social distancing was difficult for all of us. Only after one “Mr. Baum speech” did I understand that social distancing was a fallacy. It was the act of physical distancing that separated us as a community. Community is what defines Hill. At Hill, everyone should feel empowered and have a sense of belonging regardless of passions, interests, backgrounds, or who they are. The SGA president is not meant to distinguish themselves from their peers but as a bridge between the student body and the campus faculty. Hill has given me lots of opportunities throughout

I have much experience with transitions and believe the school is in such a phase. The Hill School is changing this year, and next year will continue to be the same. Next year we, as a hill school community, will welcome a new head of school. This will be a significant change to our community, as a new head of school will bring new ideas. As the SGA president, I aim to be transparent about the changes that will affect the student body to the best of my ability. I think my experience as an international student, along with my running mate Xander’s experience as a day student, I believe we will be able to connect with the students here and give the maximum support to them. I believe that direct communication is of the utmost importance for the student body. As president of the SGA, I will communicate directly with the student body and take initiative whenever necessary. As I enter my sixth form year, I hope to contribute more to the student body and be a positive representation of what the Hill School community represents.

I first met Xander during my sophomore year in the CFTA while learning to play the guitar. He came up to me, not knowing who I was, and offered to teach me how to play the piece I needed help with. From then on, we shared mutual respect and admiration towards one another. Last year, Xander and I shared multiple classes and even more interests. I learned to work with him effectively in both academic and extracurricular contexts. But apart from all the similarities we share, we still are able to fill our gaps. I am an international student and have been boarding for the past three years, while Xander has been a day student. Where I fall short for lack of experience, Xander can step in, and vice versa. Xander is someone I know I can rely on. He is someone that will take time out of his day and help others, regardless of whether he knows them or not. But most importantly, Xander is someone that I work well with. Whether it be at school or outside, I believe that Xander and I have proven to ourselves and others that we can work competently with one another, which as co-presidents, will benefit the student population.

Reet Tharwani

The one thing that I knew I wanted to do when I came to Hill was leave a mark. I wanted to contribute to a greater change that would impact the community in ways long after my departure. Being of service to the Hill community is not only something I find great fulfillment in but it is also a way for me to give back to a group of people who have given me so much. Running for SGA serves as an exciting and challenging opportunity to do just that. This specific position allows me to take an active role in shaping our school’s culture and study body.

I would have the chance to work with other student leaders and administrators to develop initiatives and programs that address all needs and concerns of the students. Whether it’s by organizing school events, promoting diversity and inclusion, or advocating for changes in school policies, I would be a direct source of positive influence. The SGA also provides valuable leadership experience that can help with important skills like communication, problem-solving, and decision-making. All of these assets are essential in wanting to create a blueprint for change. By working closely with administrators and faculty alike, I will have the opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds and perspectives. This will allow me to strengthen my empathy and understanding of others. At the end of the day, I want to serve as a liaison between the student body’s ideals and the overall administrative team at Hill. ​​The idea of being a part of something that is bigger than just myself is always something that I felt was a responsibility of mine. By running for SGA, I would have the opportunity to leave my mark by making an impact not just on Hill as a school, but also the Pottstown community.

After being on the SGA for two years, I feel as though my experience contributes to the school. I know how the SGA works and all the pathways and challenges that being in this role brings. Additionally, I now have been at the forefront of creating substantial change throughout my time on the board such as the change in the mailroom hours and the dress code. By having the opportunity to serve as a prefect this year, I have been equipped with skills that will serve me well as the figure of the school. Some of these skills involve problem-solving and staying calm in critical situations. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are a family boarding school. My mission would be to strengthen that bond by bringing more unity to our community. I think finding creative ways for our community to come together would be beneficial to strengthen our bond. For example, finding ways to bridge the gap and day students as well as allowing for more inter-dorm related activities. If elected, I would love to continue placing an emphasis on our well-being. I believe that by uniting our community through more activities would do just that. Being an international student also works to my benefit as I am constantly exposed to new ideals and new interpretations on how to run a system. I can use my understanding of the outer world to create an overall well-versed environment here at Hill.  I am here to represent the student body as a whole and not just the people that I spend my time with on a day-to-day basis. I feel that it is the responsibility of this position to represent everyone and give them a voice to express how they feel about particular issues pertaining to our community. Should I be fortunate to be elected, I would want to be a voice for the school. Having control over what can and cannot be done will allow me to really steer Hill in a direction that will benefit the students in a way that will produce long-term effects. At the end of the day, the president not only has the ability to leave their mark on the school, but they also have the duty to represent the entire student body. I believe that, through my ideas and skillset, I can help provide many benefits for the Hill community.

After knowing Mason for three years and having the opportunity to work with him as co-fifth form senator, I’ve not only grown to appreciate his leadership but also his desire to make Hill a better place. Mason is a compassionate and hardworking person that is always determined to what he does. His friendly and fun personality brings out a bright side in everyone that benefits the Hill community. I feel like our partnership has grown and created a strong bond throughout our time serving in the SGA. With the two of us being involved with different aspects of Hill, as well as Mason being domestic while I’m international, we are able to balance each other out with strengths and weaknesses. At times we have disagreements, but we are always able to come to a compromise that benefits us both. Overall, we make an extremely impactful team. I know that together we have the ability to leave a mark on Hill that will last much after we depart from this school.

Best,

Reet

Mason Moore

Each day at Hill, I see and feel the positive impact that strong leaders have on our campus. When it comes to the position of Co-President, I see no better opportunity to give back and continue the tradition of strong leadership and meaningful impact.

Ever since my Third Form year, I have greatly admired the Co-Presidents for their leadership and commitment to bettering the school. However, what I’ve grown to appreciate most out of the Co-President position is its ability to facilitate a positive energy throughout the student body when it is fully utilized. The Co-presidency serves as the focal point for collective action, providing a unique chance to improve the lives of the greater Hill Community and future generations of Hill Students. As I think about my next steps as a leader on campus, I want nothing more than to continue empowering our incredible and diverse student body through positive and energetic leadership.

I want to run for the SGA because I feel prepared and excited to take on this commitment. I truly want every member of The Hill community to thrive in whichever ways they so choose and believe I have both the formal and personal experience to lead this charge.

We have all heard the phrase that the SGA is a “bridge between the students and the administration.” Given the monumental change coming to our school’s administration via a new head of school, I believe there is a heightened need for strong and experienced presidential leadership among the student body. Now more than ever, it is crucial that we have leaders who can guide and inspire us to achieve our goals. Through the position of Co-President of the SGA, I will offer support and perspective to our incoming Head of School. During this transitory period in our school’s history, having a familiar presence at the focal point is essential. As Co-President, I want to ease the student experience during Ms. Devaney’s first year by making an unrelenting effort to safeguard Hill’s time-honored traditions and, most importantly, the interests and well-being of the greater student body.

With a passion for leadership at Hill, I have contributed to the community in various capacities over the years. Notably, I have served on the SGA for two years, currently hold the position of perfect, and am a member of the leadership council on the Boys’ varsity lacrosse team. No matter the position, I believe that leaders drive the Hill School’s culture and are the mold that keeps us connected. I have experience with leadership and know that I will continue to develop as a leader if elected. If elected, Reet and I promise to constantly push the envelope and never be complacent in an effort to better each and every students’ life at Hill.

A main priority for Reet and I is to explore and implement actionable ways to improve student life at Hill. This includes a deep look at the dining hall and ways we can improve it, and residential life rules and procedures. At times, there can be a culture of distrust at Hill between faculty and students. If elected, I want to do my best completely remove this culture, and work to rebuild trust and unity within our community. At the end of the day, I have a deep love for our school, but I understand that despite the incredible place it is, there are many flaws. If elected, I would like to continue to embrace our strengths, while acknowledging our weaknesses and working tirelessly to fix them.

Those who know Reet recognize her as one of the most caring and empathetic individuals they have met at Hill. She serves as a role model to her prefectees and those around her. This year, I have had the privilege of working alongside Reet as Fifth Form senators on the SGA. Though we may have different opinions at times, we work hard to understand one other’s perspective and come to the best resolution for our constituents. Reet and I have different backgrounds, which provides us with a unique perspective that makes us a strong and holistic team. Reet and I chose one another as running mates because we believe in Hill, and we believe we can make it better, together.