The job of student council is to plan and coordinate school events, including spirit weeks, pep rallies, Derby Day, Mr. Valentine, the Halloween Bazaar, the Powderpuff game against Hutchison and Winter Formal.

Below, student council president Anna Douglas Piper (12), pep club president Hayden Hedges (12), and student council sponsor and Director of Student Life Holly Hensarling discuss what StuCo will look like this year.

What are some big changes for StuCo this year?

Piper: Last year, we had StuCo president, pep club president, vice president, secretary, and communications. We also had three people working on sports marketing. This year, we’ve added a pep club vice president … and we have also added a different link between athletics and StuCo, so this year we have two people in our ALAPP who are more focused on athletics than they are on StuCo.

Hensarling: I feel like last year was the beginning of the big changes, and our goal this year is to build on that … and trying to increase attendance at all school events – athletics and mock trial and plays. So not just focusing on athletics. We’re going to try to build on the momentum that we started last year with blue/white and the rowdy birds. A goal is to continue to build community by showing up at events to support our fellow Turkeys.

Will blue/white change?

Piper: Not really. We’re trying to build on last year. We’re just trying to solidify what we started, … build on stuff that worked, reorder the stuff that didn’t work. We’re also trying to plan a bigger end of year blue/white kind of thing, some sort of field day or something.

Hedges: We’re just going to expand how you can earn more points, like with community service. We’re trying to include more than just athletics. There were just certain things that were not gonna work for everyone.

Hensarling: We want to do more of the little bitty pep rallies…letting students know what the events are before, so they can see what’s coming…so we’re going to try to add in some stuff but also let people know that you don’t have to be athletic to push a potato down and back.

How do you feel about the new freshmen?

Piper: Before the retreat, I didn’t know very many…but we got to know a lot of them. They’re very excited. They’re going to be involved, which I’m really excited for. Some of them were nervous, but the majority of them…you could tell they are really excited to establish their place in high school.

Hedges: I love them. They’re so cute.

Hensarling: Fantastic. I had a blast getting to know the freshmen. I’m excited to see what they do in the next four years. 

What are you most excited for this year?

Piper: We have a lot of ideas. I think there’s going to be some fun new stuff we can do. So far we’ve already had so many people contribute so many new ideas, and I want to see how far we can take some of them.

Hedges: Well, this is my first year on any form of leadership, so I’m really excited about all of it…. I feel like we have a really good group of strong personalities, and we all have very different ideas, and I think we all work together really well. After the retreat, I feel like I know so much more of the student body because we had all those freshmen come in. I feel like we can really build a good sense of community here this year.

Hensarling: I’m excited just to see how they…take last year and keep a lot of the same things, but how they build on it because I think this year’s student council has a lot of good ideas.