Elections are something that nearly every single person is familiar with. Usually, election time is in full swing from the beginning of October up until the first Tuesday in November which is National Election Day. At De Soto High School, the time for Student Council elections has come, and election day is coming quickly, set for April 17.

    This year, there are six candidates total: two for vice President and four for president. Juniors Camryn Robbinson and Lucas Nascimento are competing for the position of vice president, while juniors Chase Culver, Colton Jones, Colin Campbell and Aspen Grieshaber are all running for president.

    As expected, all six of the candidates have different goals and views about what they want to accomplish if they were to be elected into their desired position.

    For Culver, there are many large goals and aspirations that he holds for De Soto High School, were he to become president.

    “My list of dreams and aspirations stretch far and wide, but they all have the same central idea: giving a voice to every single De Soto Wildcat, and making needed changes happen,” Culver said. “The biggest focus that I would be able to pursue if I were to be elected president would to make De Soto a student-centered environment. Having the student body be the priority is important to me because a sense of community develops a more positive atmosphere for everyone.”

    Jones, another presidential candidate, has similar goals, but also has many other ideas on how to improve DHS as a whole for the student body.

    “Not only do I want to make the relationships between students and faculty stronger, but I also want to have more free events for our students so that school spirit can reach new levels,” Jones explained. “I personally want to increase student involvement in our school. I feel like all of the events done at school are done to gain money, and I want to change that. What makes high school fun is the fact that you have various functions throughout the year, and I want that a possibility [for everyone].”

    Campbell also wants to get students involved, but more so in the decision-making processes that go on in the school.

    “The biggest thing I want StuCo to do is to become much more inclusive in all of our decisions. For years we [StuCo] have done all of our work behind closed doors in Seminar meetings, and I feel like this has made StuCo out of touch with what the average student actually wants,” Campbell said. “I feel like we have made a lot of progress this year with events like the Mario Kart tournament, and I also feel like that event appealed to a demographic that doesn’t get enough attention, so as president, I want to make sure that there is a wide variety of events for everyone. I also want to make sure that StuCo is actively supporting all of DHS’ clubs by offering promotion and support for any group.”

    On a different note, Grieshaber feels that the most important area of focus is expanding communication.

    “One of my goals is to expand Student Council’s communication with the school. I believe that as StuCo president I am not only a leader of StuCo, but a leader of the student body here at DHS. I will put trust back into the student body by giving them a true voice, allowing each and every student an opportunity to speak up,” Grieshaber said. “With having an insight on the advisory councils, I am able to communicate reasons why the administration has made a decision and also relay back to them what the student body feels. There has been a large communication gap that has formed this year between students and the administration. It is my top priority to clear the gray area to create a more positive environment for DHS.”

Vice president candidates also have large goals and things they would like to see done within DHS, such as bettering the sense of community and giving a voice to all students and clubs.

“I would first work on the community of the school and the overall feeling of the building. I would also ensure that whenever someone steps into the school, they would feel comfortable and know that it is a place where they can be themselves,” Nascimento explained. “In addition to that, I would work on several policies in place that could use some work, as well as policies that prevent things such as honor cards from happening.”

For Robbinson, her main area of focus is getting students involved in decision-making processes and give them a voice.

“My number one priority as vice president would be to give the students a voice in  decision making processes, whether that be with the policies or pep assembly activities. I want the student body to feel like they have a voice, and it should be listened to,” Robbinson said. “I would also like to work with other groups such as GSA [Gay-Straight Alliance] and Eco Club, and plan fundraisers for them—anything to get the student body involved and feel comfortable discussing concerns or changes they would like to see.”

Robbinson also wants to focus on making improvements by fostering student-teacher relationships as well.

“My biggest focus for improving DHS would be bettering teacher-student relationships. I feel like many students may be too afraid to address any concerns they may have about DHS, and I would definitely like to improve that,” Robbinson said. “I think it is crucial to receive constructive criticism from people who attend classes at DHS everyday. As vice president, I would focus on building more trustworthy relationships between teachers and students so that students feel like they are being listened to and that their opinions do matter.”

So, why should the student body vote for them?

Culver: Students should vote for me as Student Council president because in all reality they are simply voting for themselves. No matter the individual, all De Soto Wildcats deserve a voice whether it be big or small. My senior year schedule is structured around giving Student Council all of my time, effort and energy because I love the student body at De Soto High School.

Jones: I feel students should consider voting for me because I feel that I am a quality candidate. I strive to be honest with every person, aim to help others surrounding me, and finally, I’m a nice guy. Vote Jones, and you will have yourself not only a great vice president, but a friend as well.

Campbell: I think that people should vote for me to make De Soto High School a much more inclusive and fun place to be.

Grieshaber: I believe that DHS students should vote for me because of my drive and dedication to Student Council and the student body. I have hours of experience managing and leading other people outside of our school that has taught me so many valuable lessons. Students should also vote for me because I can guarantee that I will spend each second of my day listening to each and every student’s voice, no matter what.

#aspen4stucopres

Nascimento: I think people should vote for me if they want a better experience every time they step in the school and experience a happier and less stressful environment at De Soto.

Robbinson: Voting for me for vice resident would mean voting for your thoughts and concerns to be heard. I will always make sure that the student body is put first, and I will not back down until such concerns are addressed. My dedication and persistence in leadership roles has taught me to better the school, not just for StuCo members, but for everyone walking in the hallways.  I truly believe DHS can be a place where positive change is made and student voices are heard. By voting for me as vice resident, DHS will become a more fun, diverse and involved community.

Voting is set to occur on April 17 during Seminar after a video speech from each candidate.