Students Select New Grade Representatives

by Sam Levenson, SSLI '27

This past week, high school students elected new grade representatives for the coming year. After the executive government’s elections on Yom Ha’atzmaut just a few weeks ago, the upcoming student government is set through next year’s high school retreat and beyond.

Students delivered their speeches to their fellow classmates (M. Bidner)

This election only had one grade representative spot open for both rising seniors and juniors, rather than two, due to Shay Ginzburg and Sam Levenson moving from 11th- and 10th-grade representatives to the executive student government. The incoming freshman class elected two grade representatives. The current seniors are off the hook, enjoying the last week of their Israel trip.

Rising freshmen had a very competitive election, with four candidates running for two spots. In the end, Eric Wurtzel and Gideon Levenson won and will hold the position for next year, through the retreat of their 10th-grade year.

Both candidates are ecstatic about their new positions. Levenson and Wurtzel have both been in the middle school’s Knesset, with Levenson having been a prominent member in his 6th- and 7th-grade years, and Wurtzel being the president this past year. Wurtzel expressed, “Being a member in the student government will help me find my place in high school.” He added that he is excited to be in this group, as well as to play on sports teams and work with peer connectors. Levenson noted that he is most excited for the events he and his co-representative will plan, as well as the other activities run by the collective student government.

The rising juniors, currently sophomores, elected Sara Rosenthal to be one of two grade representatives next year. Madison Hoffman is currently the other grade representative, and the two will work together planning fun events for the retreat at the start of the year. Hoffman’s position will open after the retreat.

Rosenthal was a grade representative in 9th grade and cannot wait to start again. She said, “I learned a lot from that year, and I know what to improve on. I’d say the most important things I’ve learned are that we should plan more grade events and that getting people hyped about events is important.” Rosenthal wants to improve next year’s experiences and activities from last year’s. She said, “I’m really excited to plan for the retreat with Madison again. It’s cool that the representative spot opened early, and I will get to plan for the retreat!”

The rising seniors had a competitive election similar to the rising freshmen. One spot for grade representative was open, and three students were vying to take it. Emma Roth won the election and will be a grade representative for next year. Corey Flyer is the current representative and will work with Roth planning fun events at the retreat. Afterwards, his term will end and his position will become available.

To be elected to the student government, the candidates had to get teacher and club advisor recommendations with high marks and also needed to deliver persuasive speeches to their classmates. Wurtzel mentioned that in his speech, he explained that he really wants “to continue having a close bond between my classmates and the entire high school.” Levenson said that, in his speech, he explained how he “has a lot of experience, and how [he's] really good at planning events.”

The grade representatives for this year’s retreat are set, and the students are continuously involved and excited about upcoming events and their classmates’ new roles. To conclude, Wurtzel said that being elected grade representative “is a great opportunity to bring my grade together as a whole and as a team!”

Sam Levenson is a writer for Paw Print Now and has been published on the site since October 2023. Sam is currently a sophomore at Schechter School of Long Island and can be reached at the following email address: slevenson27@schechterli.org