Class of 2022 Junior Student Council Elections

by William Carroll, Class of 2021 and Jackie Lemieux, Class of 2020

With Student Council Election Season once again in full swing, we at the Matignon Mirror are excited to provide election coverage for the second year in a row. Earlier this week, students of the Class of 2022 were given the opportunity to ask Candidates questions about the issues that will be pertinent to Juniors during the 2020-2021 school year. Based on these questions, Mirror reporters reached out to the Candidates and interviewed them about their campaigns for Office.

To begin, the Mirror presents the Presidential Candidates: Incumbent President Domenic Hoxholli and Representative Gracie O’Connell.

To begin, Incumbent President Domenic Hoxholli, who is running for a second term as President of the Class of 2022.

Matignon Mirror: Junior Class President is a far different job than Sophomore Class President. Being Upperclassmen, the Junior Council and their President are there to fill in for the Seniors and take on a more administrative role in the planning and organization of events. How will you handle these responsibilities?

First of all, I would like to thank the Matignon Mirror for this opportunity. I also hope everyone is staying safe and healthy. Though I appreciate the question, during my time as Sophomore President I have already served in many important and administrative roles on the Student Council. At the start of the year, I was the leading proponent of the Committee System of group work that has since been adopted by the full Council for major projects such as Homecoming and Pep Rallies. That idea led to my work on the Finance and Fundraising Committee (F&FC) in preparation for this year’s Catholic Schools Week. My fellow committee member (outgoing Senior Vice President Mia Wieczorek), layed out a detailed plan on how to make the 2019 Catholic Schools Week the best funded Council event. We Delivered! Our collective fundraising efforts raised over $400 dollars through corporate sponsorships and the Class v. Class Penny War. My fellow Council members and our teacher advisor, Mr. MacDonald, still look to the 2019 CSW F&FC as the best example of successful fundraising. Heading into Junior year, I will continue to be the leading voice on fundraising, budgeting, and fiscal responsibility. My Presidency has shattered the narrative that underclassmen officers cannot serve administrative roles on the Council!

Matignon Mirror: You are not the only one running for class president. What do you bring to the Student Council that sets you apart? What unique skills and experiences will help you succeed?

I have the honor of defending my seat in a rematch against the Former President of our class. In our first election, at the beginning of the year, I highlighted one key difference between the two of us. She aimed to keep the status quo, but I boldly stood in front of my Class and set the record straight, We Deserved More! This election is no different! During my time as President, I have represented my class’ ideas to the other Class Councils, took an active part in planning events to keep our 2022 Community together during these times, and improved our social media presence across multiple platforms. I am seeking re-election to a second term as President to continue to fulfill the promise of more I made one year ago!

Matignon Mirror: In this time of quarantine, we see now more than ever how important social media and communication are. What plans do you have for sharing Student Council’s ideas to the student body?

As mentioned previously, one of my main achievements as President was recognizing the necessity of social media during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and taking proactive steps to improve our class’ social media outreach. Our Class Instagram has seen a massive content improvement since the implementation of my Canva Template designs. These simple to use and aesthetically pleasing templates have allowed me to keep our 2022 Community informed about upcoming and exciting events! I also rolled out a series of Instagram Story Takeovers which gave my fellow classmates extra insight into the quarantine lives of their peers (follow @matignonhs2022 on Instagram)! Additionally, earlier this year, I created a Class Twitter as a complement to our Instagram. Since its creation I have retweeted posts from the official Advanced Placement Information Account and many Boston Sports Teams! I am honored to say we are followed by Mr. Thomas W. Carroll, the superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Boston and many Matignon Staff Members! (follow @matignon22 on Twitter). I look forward to continuing to grow the Class of 2022’s social media presence as Junior Class President!

Matignon Mirror: Often speeches do not give enough time to share the nuances of your ideas for the council if elected. What ideas do you really want your class to know about going into this election?

As Juniors and Upperclassmen, our class has the opportunity to cheer on our 2022 Girls at the Annual Powder Puff Football Game! When re-elected I will immediately begin to work with the Senior Council to enhance the Power Puff experience for the entire Matignon Community. I will push for the formation of a Powder Puff Committee in order to improve the advertising of the event, open multiple avenues to fundraise, and finally get a real trophy! Our class deserves a Powder Puff to remember, and I will work with our future team coaches so our class is the first Junior team in recent history to take home the Championship! Again, I would like to thank the Mirror for this opportunity and I would like to thank you, the reader, for taking the time to learn more about your Student Council Candidates! Check the 2022 Google Classroom or your Matignon Gmail for a link to candidates and speeches and remember to Re-Elect President Domenic Hoxholli!

Challenging Incumbent President Hoxholli for his seat is Representative Gracie O’Connell, who has served on the Student Council for two years as the Freshman Class President during the 2018-2019 school year and a Representative of the Class of 2022 during the 2019-2020 school year.

As I look forward to becoming an upperclassmen, and serving on Student Council once again, I think the most important thing to convey and share with all is a respect for everyone, regardless of what grade you are in. I want to treat everyone with an equal voice, and by doing so, I’ll be that exemplary role model that the underclassmen will look up to, and my peers will respect and admire. The key to handling this type of responsibility is to treat everyone in the same manner that you wish to be treated. With loyalty, respect, admiration and commitment that we are all in this together to make a positive difference. As for planning and organizing, I’m prepared to assume that leadership role once again, whether it’s buying decorations for school dances, speaking at pep rallies or assemblies, or being a voice outside of our school community that represents Matignon well.

Matignon Mirror: You are not the only one running for class president. What do you bring to the Student Council that sets you apart? What unique skills and experiences will help you succeed?

My running mate and myself both have one year of experience having served as president of Student Council, so we both have that experience. But what sets me apart is that I’m a multi-tasker with lots of different things happening in my life that I am successful at. I can juggle many tasks and projects at one time. And I not only juggle them well, but I excel at them. I have time to come to Student Council meetings, make honor rolls regularly and excel at sports. People know that I’m a swimmer, but what they may not know is that I have practice every day of the week, sometimes twice in one day. My schedule fills up very quickly, but I still make time for clubs like Student Council because I am striving to support my classmates and improve my school. So what sets me apart from others is my commitment and dedication to winning, excellence and making a difference in our Matignon community.

Matignon Mirror: In this time of quarantine, we see now more than ever how important social media and communication are. What plans do you have for sharing Student Council’s ideas to the student body?

I think social media will be one of the most important ways to advertise and promote our events, and our key messaging overall. If living through this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s the power that social media has to bring us all together. With family and friends who work in marketing and advertising everyday, I have a professional advantage to tap into their expertise, and I know what it takes to grab an audience’s attention. Social media is where we can really show the value and importance of our student council events. We’ll utilize class Instagram accounts to produce takeovers, posts, and stories to get our message across. And any successful marketing campaign will also use platforms beyond social media. We’ll use new, bigger posters within the school to promote events, and come up with creative ways to use in-school morning announcements to share our exciting news with our class. In this day and age, there are many athletes, celebrities and influencers who are willing to lend their voice to programming like this. Imagine how surprised everyone would be if they heard actor John Krasinski’s voice promoting one of our pep-rallies or student council events!

Going into this election, and in my speech, I want my classmates to embrace the importance and significance of our own school spirit and our connections to the outside community. I came up with a program called SCBC (Students Caught Being Good) to encourage our classmates to be kinder and more spirited students. If a teacher, coach or administrator identifies a student who does good for the Matignon community as a whole, (we’ll set up parameters to identify that this means), they’ll be rewarded with a prize, such as a free lunch, and who doesn’t love a free lunch?! And quarterly, one lucky student will win a dinner at a local restaurant. (I’ll get these dinners donated, of course!) Another idea I have is to create TAG DAYS where students donate money to essential workers, hospitals, and nursing homes to help with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, it’s more important than ever for us to show our support to local communities dealing with the pandemic. Times are changing and it’s important that we make our mark on the Matignon community and beyond.

Next up, we have three candidates for the Office of Junior Class Vice President: Incumbent Vice President Gabriella Ortiz, Jayda Bbosa, and Alana Matthews.

First, the interview with Incumbent Vice President Gabriella Ortiz:

Matignon Mirror: The Vice President’s job is to manage council affairs in the president’s absence and guide the president and council’s decision making. What skills do you have that make you fit for this position of mediation and leadership?

Gabriella Ortiz: Throughout this past year being the Sophomore Vice President, I learned that with this position there are many different skill sets needed to take on this role. The skill sets that I have that will make myself a great fit for this position is my ability to communicate with my fellow classmates about ideas that will help further the Matignon experience, I include all of the council members with any of my thoughts and comments towards any ideas, and my ability to keep everything organized so others can understand any idea.

Matignon Mirror: The Vice President, just like any student council member, has a responsibility to serve in mind of their class’s best interests. In your opinion, what do you think your classes best interests are?

GO: My class’ best interest is to make memories and experiences for the last 2 years of high school so that when we leave we can have those memories to take with us anywhere. Memories are important to any classes’ interest but also, being able to learn in a safe environment is just as important. Learning new material and grasping it is important to any student alongside making memories along the way.

Matignon Mirror: The Junior council has an important role in bringing ideas from the drawing board to real life. Such demanding work must be delegated among the council members. What do you believe is the best way to delegate work to maximize productivity?

GO: Having an organized workspace is important to make sure work is done in a limited amount of time that is needed for any idea. When these ideas are organized in a more informative way, they will be able to have more details and specifics added that will help improve my fellow classmates’ high school experience.

Next, challenger Jayda Bbosa:

Jayda Bbosa: I’ve always been someone who is able to take initiative when necessary. I am the Vice President of SOCA, and I have had the opportunity to lead and make decisions during meetings, when both Presidents were absent. I also have plenty of experience from middle-school Student Council, which allowed me to put ideas together from many different views. But most importantly, I am a quick thinker, and I am very capable of mediating any situation that comes my way. I can assure you that I can handle the pressure.

JB: I think it is in my class’s best interest to make sure that the student council pleases them during such a stressful year. With challenges like SAT’s, and college searching, I strive to reduce any stress that the students may feel this upcoming year. With more field trips, and just overall fun school activities, this will help me make sure that my classmates are still doing well mentally, and have down time to have fun in between all the stress. Along with that, I would love to work on lowering the cost of Prom tickets for the students in my grade who cannot afford it.

JB: This is how I think is the best way to delegate work to maximize productivity: The President should be in charge of all class issues, making any and all final calls, as well as staying in touch with staff members, such as the principal, to allow activities and fundraisers to be approved. The Vice President should be in charge of coming up with fundraiser and field trip ideas, as well as staying in touch with the class, and working alongside the President to make things happen. The Treasurer should be in charge of all things money related in order to keep track of what we can’t and cannot do, with the money our class has. The Secretary should keep track of everything that goes on in the meetings, so we do not lose track of what ideas and or issues we have. The Intermediary should be in contact with the students in our class, getting ideas from classmates, and reporting back to the council. Therefore, each member can focus on one thing, and then we can bring it all together during meetings.

Finally, Alana Matthews, also running for the Office of the Junior Class President:

Alana Matthews: I have many skills to fit the position of Vice President of the student council such as great teamwork skills, a very high IQ, self-efficient, I am quick acting so if there were an issue that needed to be attended to I can get it done right away and do it well. I also have great communication skills and am easy to talk to so I would always be understanding and accessible to others. I am very easygoing but in times of need, I am a great leader and would be a great person to have as the Vice President role.

AM: I am not able to speak up on everyone’s best interests because I am not them but from my exposure to the other students in my class, everyone’s best interests are either residing in succession from high school or having fun and enjoying time in high school while it lasts.

AM: The best way is definitely team-work. Although this may sound cheesy, teamwork and trust really matter because communication is key when working with others, and especially in important roles such as council members. Everyone should be accessible to each other to tackle work together to help make decision making easier and quicker so that my peers can see the change they are looking for.

There are two candidates for the Office of the Treasurer: Incumbent Treasurer Abigail Reddivari and Brigid Anderson.

To begin, Incumbent Treasurer Abigail Reddivari:

Matignon Mirror: The Treasurer’s main job is handling money and fundraisers, what experience do you have that would allow you to perform this job?

Abigail Reddivari: In addition to being Treasurer since freshman year, I am currently working at Market Basket as a cashier. I have been working there since the summer and it has truly helped me with handling money. From being a cashier, I have learned how to count money. Also, from having a job, I know how to budget and save money where it is needed. I think this experience along with my math skills will help me be an effective class treasurer.

Matignon Mirror: What plans do you have for the coming year to generate income and excitement in the Matignon Community?

AR: I would love to hold more events with the Matignon community to take part in to raise money. This would include a Matignon Team Olympics where members of the community could use their physical and critical thinking skills to win challenges. I would also like to reach out more to local companies, like the members of the council started doing this year, to sponsor us for events. Since freshman year, I have tried to advocate for lunch swipe cards to help students budget money and I would like to continue that process with fellow council members. If this isn’t possible at the moment, I would like to reach out to the administration and advocate for a few lower priced food items, allowing students to save a couple bucks each time they buy lunch. All of these fundraising ideas would contribute to a junior class trip to Canobie Lake Park, a laser tag place, or a place decided by the students, within reason.

Matignon Mirror: What is something left out of your speech that you would like your class to know?

AR: I have said in my speech that I want ALL students’ ideas to be heard and I would like to reiterate that. Students shouldn’t feel like their voices can’t be heard due to contrasting opinions or bigger personalities throughout the class. I want all my classmates to feel welcomed by the Student Council and be able to say hello to a friendly face, because after all it is our Junior year and we are all in this together for the next couple of years.

Running against Incumbent Treasurer Reddivari is Brigid Anderson, who declined to comment.

There are three Candidates for the Office of the Secretary of the Junior Class: Incumbent Secretary Abigail Stiltner, Bridget McConnell, and Maddie Fallon.

Incumbent Secretary Stiltner will be running for her second term as the Secretary of the Class of 2022 during the 2020-2021 school year.

Matignon Mirror: Secretary is a job that takes organization skills, a good ear, and the ability to summarize and type information in a way that makes it accessible and understandable for future student council meetings. What qualifies you to perform these tasks?

Abigail Stiltner: Serving as secretary this past year, I have learned a lot about the job and gained a lot of experience. I take notes at every meeting, record start and end times, and set agendas for upcoming meetings. These are things that I would continue to do if re-elected. I started a shared Google folder with the other members of my sophomore student council and made sure that everyone was up to date at all times. I am a quick note-taker, quick learner, and I take information in very quickly; all of which qualify me to serve this position to its fullest potential.

Matignon Mirror: As Secretary of the Junior Class, what methods of organizing and sharing information do you think will best benefit the council? What would you suggest to streamline the flow of information and keep the council on track?

This year, my Sophomore Student Council created our own group chat and shared Google Drive folder to organize our notes and planning documents. These tools aided us in keeping an organized and efficient council. This year as a Sophomore Council we would have our own separate meetings to prepare for the larger Student Council meetings. This proved to us to be very important because it allowed for us to form a singular stance on an issue and help represent our grades interest better as elected officials, I would advocate for the continuance of these smaller meetings if re-elected.

Matignon Mirror: What do you believe sets you apart from the other candidates that makes you unique and best fit for this position?

My personality. I like to talk to everyone and make connections with new people. I think these attributes would help make me effective as I am not shy to present my views to the council and keep my grade looped in to make sure that their views are vocalized. The Secretary has the crucial job of setting an agenda for the next meeting and reminding the council what issues should be spoken about, through agenda making I would make sure to keep my grade in mind when presenting talking points and how I could best benefit my peers.

Neither Bridget McConnell nor Maddie Fallon responded to the interview request by Matignon Mirror reporters.

Finally, the race for Intermediary features three Candidates: Incumbent Intermediary Daniel Liu, Representative Susie Coviello, and Sydney Williams.

Incumbent Intermediary Daniel Liu is running for a second term as Intermediary.

Matignon Mirror: Intermediary is a relatively new position in the Matignon Student Council, what does it mean to you and how do you plan on using this position to serve your class? [editor’s note: the Office of the Intermediary was added to the Student Council in 2019, when Student Council member Katie Coviello petitioned for its addition.]

Daniel Liu: Because Intermediary is a relatively new position in the Matignon Student Council, I think it is a great way to add an extra person to our Student Council because this would mean the workload could be taken off of some of the other positions, such as the President and the Vice President. For example, now that there is an Intermediary, they could ask their classmates suggestions that they have for the Student Council as opposed to the president going around and asking people before. I plan to use this position to serve my class by becoming the voice of the students. If my class has any ideas or suggestions I will listen to every one of them and do my best to fulfill it.

Matignon Mirror: Intermediaries act as the bridge between the discussions of the student body and discussions of the Student Council. What ways can you see yourself sharing news and discussions between council and class? What skills make you best fit for this position?

DL: Some ways I can see myself sharing news and information between the Council and the class is by using social media. Many teens are very active online and especially on social media such as Instagram. I think it is important to update the class page on Instagram with news and announcements. Some important skills that make me the best fit for this important position is I have excellent communication skills. I enjoy talking with every one of my classmates and getting their input and ideas. I also have excellent listening skills which are just as important as communicating because I will listen to all my classmates.

Matignon Mirror: A big job of the Intermediary is managing the spread of information to your class, especially through social media. What experiences do you have in graphic design that will allow you to make eye popping infographics for your class, or alternatively what other methods of sharing news would you employ?

DL: I do have some experience in graphic design such as making posters and pictures. Some other methods of sharing news I would employ are by making posters and signs and hanging them all over the school such as in the hallways so people can see them. I would also post announcements on the classroom page so people can see them. Another method is by communicating in person such as going around and letting people know about the news.

Next, we have Representative Susie Coviello, who has served on the Student Council since her freshman year.

Matignon Mirror: Intermediary is a relatively new position in the Matignon Student Council, what does it mean to you and how do you plan on using this position to serve your class?

Susie Coviello: To me, Intermediary means that you need to be able to listen to your class’s ideas, suggestions, questions, and concerns. You also need to be there for your class, and remember to put them first. I plan on using this position to serve my class by opening any and all discussions to them, and letting them express their opinions and suggestions to me so that they feel included. Overall, I want to make sure everyone knows that they have a voice in what goes on in our class and in our school.

SC: I will partner with the Matignon Mirror in stories like this one to spread information and ask students for their input. I will also conduct surveys through Google Forms or in person questions, to see what changes need to be made and get feedback from others. I will use every form of communication available to make sure students get the information they need and want, including social media to make sure that I reach everyone I possibly can. I believe that I am qualified for this position because I am a very hard worker, and I always work very hard whenever I start a project, and I never give up. I am very committed to making sure everyone knows that they have a voice, and I truly want everyone to feel like they are connected as a class. I care a lot about my classmates and making sure they feel included and welcome, and I hope everyone can see that!

SC: I have experience making posters and other types of infographics that work to spread information. In the past, I have made posters and flyers for various groups that I am part of, and when asked I have provided input for others who made them. I love art and will never turn down an opportunity to draw, paint, or illustrate something in any way, so you can rest assured that all my posters will be eye catching and super informative! I am also skilled at using all sorts of social media platforms, which will be extremely helpful when it comes to using social media such as Snapchat and Instagram to spread information and ask for student input. For example, I put out my campaign logo on my social media accounts so that everyone could see it. I even put up a poster behind me with my campaign slogan, so that when I am doing online classes, everyone in my class knows that I am serious about running for Intermediary! I am used to using computer platforms that make posters and other types of flyers, which means that I am proficient in these tools and will be able to use them to spread awareness of different school and class events. And if you know me, you know that my posters and graphics will never be boring!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to talk about my plans for being the Class of 2022 Intermediary for Junior year! I look forward to being able to make sure that my class has all the information they need and that they feel connected to each other. Remember, Susie Q Is The Girl For You!!
Susie Coviello

Finally, Sydney Williams is also running for the Office of the Intermediary of the Junior Class. Ms. Williams chose to respond in the form of a statement, which can be found below:

To be able to have the opportunity to be an Intermediary to my class of 2022 and having people tell me the necessary needs to make Matignon a more strong and loving community. I feel like I could be the right one for this job and I could make an impact and actually have the people of Matignon’s ideas considered rather than being put aside because I would put my all into this position. My character trait for caring for others and their beliefs or ideas helps me alot with this job of being an Intermediary and me being a lot more comfortable with the whole school and them knowing me so they could be comfortable with sharing how they feel or what should be added to the school gives me more of an advantage to this job. I feel like me coming out of my shell a lot more this year helps a lot with this position. My experiences of me asking how people feel about certain things going on at school and what they want to do to make it better helps, my interviewing, listening, and learning skills helps a lot as well. making special announcements through the loudspeaker about any upcoming events or really putting a suggestion box to hear what the people really want to happen for Matignon or have monthly surveys would help a lot as well.
Sydney Williams

This concludes the interviews with the Candidates for the Class of 2022 Student Council. We at the Matignon Mirror would like to wish all Candidates good luck!! To all the voters out there: we hope this helps you make an informed decision in regards to the future of your class’ Student Council!

All Candidates were given fair opportunity to read and respond to the interview questions. These questions were based on Google Forms sent out to members of the Class of 2022 earlier this week, as well as supplemental questions devised by the Matignon Mirror Election Department. Responses have been edited for grammar and clarity.

Class of 2022 Junior Student Council Elections

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