Welcome to the new Student Senate Section of The Panel! Here, a different class officer will offer a summary of what’s in store for the school from the Student Senate each new edition, ranging from Form I to VI.
To begin the very first rendition of the Senate Section, here are the names of all the class officers for each form in the 2021-22 school year, excluding Form I, which will elect its two officers later in the Fall:
Form VI: Luke Carroll; Adam Figler; Ben Trotsky; Thomas Madden; Shane Kelly
Form V: John Goguen; Daniel Drucker; Joe “Pugs” Puglielli; Dan Moran
Form IV: James Mullowney; Nolan Bibbo; Zach Khozozian
Form III: Evan Dresser; Sam Caulfield; Christopher McEvoy
Form II: Will Achtmeyer; Nathan Zhang
On the senior front this Fall, the Senate is working on a senior sports waiver, substituting one season of an intramural sport with a waiver for athletics. Not only would it release more time during the already-stretched day for Sixth Formers in the season of their choice, but Adam Figler argues it would remove an obstacle for students seeking mental health resources or a simple break from the long hours.
Thomas Madden (AKA the co-“fearless leader” of the Loop with Shane Kelly) has a Form VI holiday gift exchange in the works for December. In a quote to The Panel, he hopes to finally “show Santa who’s boss in Belmont.”
Dan Moran (V) is aiming to double last year’s returns in the Think Pink charity drive to raise money toward the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The signature Think Pink bucket hats are scheduled to make a return this October.
The Belmont Hill Textbook Exchange (https://belmonthill.winsor.club/) is already earning money for sellers and saving money for buyers. If you haven’t yet, take 5 minutes to list some of your old textbooks and their condition to earn some cash!
Other recent and developing initiatives include changes to the dining program with an eye toward the pre-pandemic style; gearing up for a reinvigorated Party With a Purpose 2022 (especially with the help of the Senate’s own Daniel Drucker); singing contests led by Mr. Patterson; potential guests to the Chapel and senior-led Friday Forums.
The Student Senate, though, is also a resource for the small things that would otherwise fall through the cracks. From furniture in the Senior Commons to expanding Upper School lunchtimes, from helping you get a parking pass or helping Stephen Warming find a mask that actually stays above his nose, class officers are your resource to use.
Just a month in, every class officer is optimistic about what the year holds on the tail end of the pandemic. Not only is the theme of the year the “new normal” that we’ve been waiting for over the last year and a half, but it’s also “yes” to all the new ideas, initiatives, and projects that are just beginning this September.
