New Positions Available in ASB

This fall BHS leadership underwent dramatic changes in order to create positions and allow students more vioce in governement.

Currently, applications are being accepted for all Executive Team positions aside from President, Vice President, Chief of Service, and Chief of Social Activities until May 12. See the Leadership Office at D148 for information and applications for all sixteen available positions. “More and more research is showing that the student culture of a school has significant impact on typical measures of a school’s and student’s performance,” said Young, “For example, a student is more likely to do well in class, not get in fights, and have a good attendance rate if they have a positive personal identity connection with the school through athletics or student activities such as a club, student leadership or just as a student amidst a fun and stimulating campus culture.”

Finally, the House of Classes has 20 positions for each class, including a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and fifteen deputies per class. Applications for Treasurer and Secretary positions are being accepted until April 28, while deputy applications will be due by May 19.

Another change for Leadership is an increase in promotion and outreach. Leadership hopes to have a wider variety of members to more accurately represent the school. There is an Election Convention planned for Friday, May 7. The Election Convention process includes a campaign period, a speech in front of the student body, popular vote, a question and answer period at the convention itself, and a vote by the convention delegates to determine the final winner. During this convention, our next ASB President, Vice President, Chief of Service, Chief of Social Activities and School Board Representative will be elected by question and answer sessions and delegate voting if none of the candidates receive 70 percent of the school wide popular vote via polling booths. The conventions will be “an awesome exercise in politics, involving delegates from every history class dressed up as if from a state such as Kansas or Texas,” said Young. There will also be a keynote speaker at the event, which will have all of the “red, white, and blue fanfare” present at a normal election.

The goal of the additional positions within Leadership is to create a more comfortable and fun environment at Berkeley High that includes “more lunchtime activities such as class competitions, more themed weeks such as multicultural week and an exciting elections week as is planned for this year.” Other ideas include guest speakers, skate demos, panel discussions on student-interest topics, and a BHS Arts and Crafts Fair. Leadership didn’t create so many new positions for no reason, so apply now and get more involved at Berkeley High.