EHS Student Government President, James Steward and Vice-President, Derin Suren, began their term this fall. The Hive was able to sit down with them to find out more about who they are and what their goals are for EHS.
The Hive: What are some hobbies and interests you have?
Steward: I run cross country and track year round and am a captain. Outside of school I really enjoy just hanging out with my friends and doing stuff outdoors. I love hiking, biking, swimming, and I like helping out the community. I am part of athletic leadership and am an AP ambassador. I have a retail job at Fleet Feet Sports, and then over the summertime I lifeguard at Sand Hill pool.
Suren: I play both tennis and golf for club teams and also for the school. I’m captain of both varsity golf and varsity tennis. And then in my free time, I like to read, go hiking, and hang out with friends.
The Hive: What are your jobs and responsibilities as president and vice president?
Steward: Student Government follows a strict constitution. It is very similar to the United States one but just school based. As president, I’m really focused on communicating with our administration and approving bills that are passed in our full block meetings. I’m the person that people go to when they have an issue or questions surrounding student government or admin.
Suren: James and I go around to the different committees during student government meetings on Tuesday mornings and see what proposals or ideas will need our approval and what our thoughts are about them. James and I also picked executives for each committee who we thought would help with each committees’ roles and represent the whole school.
The Hive: What are your goals for EHS during your term?
Steward: I really want to get people more involved and make Essex work together more as a community. I think when we have these clubs, they feel kind of singular, and it is very focused on one group. I really want people to expand their views and try to get involved. A huge thing that’s lacking is showing up to events. We talked about this a lot this year in student government. It’s hard, but it’s an important part of being a member of our community to show up, and be excited to show up. For example, athletic events: we want to communicate when these things are happening so people can be present. We want people to go to plays that are put on by our school that are very well done. People need to know when they’re happening and how they can support, so we’re really trying to get school spirit up. We’re trying to make those connections with groups, like athletic leadership and admin, to make sure that this can work for everybody.
Suren: I think the all encompassing goal is to make sure that we try and meet as many ends as possible, to make sure that whatever the students want to see happen are at least considered and brought to admin. Some of those goals include planning a good winter ball.
The Hive: Do you have any leadership or political goals for after high school?
Steward: I would say my aspirations have shifted over time. When I was younger, I really thought I wanted to do law. But throughout my time at the high school, I’ve really taken a liking to the different science options that we have and just experiencing different pathways that the school offers. I mean, the school offers so much for people to discover what they want to do. I did an internship through the STEM Academy last year with the UVM chemistry department, and I was able to work with PhD students. They were working on how stem cells can be used to help staph infections. I think I want to go into college on a pre-med track studying biochemistry. I think that the leadership skills that I’ve learned from my roles here at Essex are really going to help me in the future. I have learned how to speak up when you feel like you should, how to communicate with others, how to speak to someone higher up, in a higher position, how do you handle a whole bunch of different things in life? I do have aspirations of being a doctor, and that’s a job where you’re juggling a whole bunch of different things. And I think leadership roles like I have now have really helped put me in a position where I think I could be successful one day doing something like that.
Suren: I have been looking into certain colleges I’m interested in. I’ve been looking at their student government, like clubs within the school. Maybe I’ll take a look into that, see if I can also join something like that in college. Whatever leadership position arises that I feel and others feel, that will be well suited for me, then I’ll try to see what happens, and try to take that position.
The Hive: What issues have Student Government been focused on recently?
Steward: So we’ve been focused on creating bridges with larger groups like admin and ALC.to create a homecoming that works for everybody. There’s going to be incentives for people to participate this year. We want people to be excited to go to a football game. We want people to come together as a community. We want Essex to be the inclusive place it can be.
Suren: More student voice because sometimes people have thought that the student government hasn’t really gotten the whole opinion of the school. So we’re working on getting the student voice as accurately as possible. And then also, another big one is school spirit because sometimes it’s a little lackluster at Essex. I’m trying to increase that a little bit.
The Hive: What do you want EHS students to know about what student gov does for our school?
Steward: Student gov is really here to process and compose students’ ideas, wants and issues, and so we really do implore them to use those pathways to send us emails. When you have an idea, send it as early as possible so it can be acted upon as early as possible. If you have ideas surrounding winter ball, any activities you’d like to see happen, we’d really love to hear student input, because that’s the best way that we can work for the student body. We’re really here to help you guys and we’re really here to convey your voices to a large audience.
Suren: I think I would like Essex students to know we really are actively trying to get the opinions of the whole student body, and I feel like sometimes people think we aren’t trying and we’re just doing stuff for the best of our own interests. But I think we truly are not self-centered, like that and we do want to do what’s best for the school.
