On Friday, April 12, voting will begin for Student Representative to the District 202 School Board. Students of all grade levels will be able to vote through their myETHS accounts, starting at 9:15 a.m. In order to run, candidates must currently be sophomores or juniors to serve the following school year. The Student Representative plays a key role in student government at ETHS, which is composed of the Student Union and the Student Council. Each of these bodies act on behalf of student needs and wants.

From buttons and posters to baked goods and candy, Student Representative candidates have been continuously promoting their campaigns. In addition to campaigning on their own time, candidates had to acquire 50 student signatures for a petition and participate in a lunch to lunch campaigning day where they engaged with students and summarized their goals for the Student Representative position.

Amen Fisseha, Anna Stolar, Annah Stevenson, Eleanor (Elle) Ghogomu, Emerson Singer, Eva Hansen, Isaiah Turk, Lila Selch and Rachel Durango-Cohen are the contenders. Some candidates did not respond to emails and were hard to reach, therefore, their thoughts are not featured.

A slightly edited version of the candidates’ thoughts follows.

The responsibilities

Isaiah Turk: The Student Representative has a lot of duties, some of which include attendance at monthly School Board meetings, organization and management of the student union and composition of a monthly article for The Evanstonian.

Eva Hansen: The student representative will influence the choices of the Board to benefit students.

Making change

Annah Stevenson: I am a Black female student at ETHS. My campaign points focus on race and inclusivity. I care about racial equity in classrooms because of so many students’ frustrating experiences in AP classes, for example. I am the only Black female in my AP block courses, so I have a deep understanding of this issue.

Emerson Singer: I heard from a lot of students that the tardy rollover policy can be straining, so I am committed to providing easier and more accessible options for clearing tardies. I would also focus on providing more ethically and locally sourced food as part of The Green New Deal (better lunches!).

Rachel Durango-Cohen: I want to make changes to how Booster funds can be used by ETHS clubs and organizations. In addition, I would like to work with the administration to reevaluate the student parking lottery to allow for shared spots. This would encourage carpooling which is environmentally friendly and allows students a better chance at getting parking spots.

Lila Selch: I want to use Narcan training as a way to make up gym points and I would like to work with Dr. Kinzie to find a solution alternative to the suggested phone policy for next year. The Green New Deal is also a crucial aspect of my campaign, ensuring more locally-sourced options in our lunches, required climate curriculum and greener spaces at school. I want to continue the therapy dogs program and activities like the cereal and sundae bars. Equity is also very important to me; antisemitism and Islamophobia being some of my top concerns.

Eva Hansen: I will encourage gender diversity in electives like Auto Maintenance and Child Development, work with the School Board’s sustainability committee to strengthen the sustainability policy currently in place and communicate with the Emerge Sustainable Student Nutrition group and Ms. Minestra, Director of Nutrition Services, to create a rotation of snacks in the vending machines.

Amen Fisseha: The issue I care about the most is creating diversity in AP classes! As a person of color I have noticed that there is little diversity in those courses.

Reasons for running

Emerson Singer: I am naturally good at conversing with adults, and not only do I want the experience for my future endeavors, but I also want to make an impact and help my community, and this is my way of doing that.

Eva Hansen: I believe in the power of the student voice and how we can harness it for good.

Rachel Durango-Cohen: My goal is to build a stronger sense of community and connection. I believe that everyone deserves to feel valued and supported, and I’m committed to being a voice for those who may feel disconnected, overlooked or unheard.

Challenges

Annah Stevenson: It is challenging to appeal to all students when not everyone cares about the issues that I have presented. The time management, self-promotion and interactions with others has been exhausting, but worth all the time it takes.

Isaiah Turk: I don’t have the time, money or willpower to offer the amount of sugar as my other candidates, so I’ve had to get creative when talking one-on-one with my peers!

Leadership and involvement

Rachel Durango-Cohen: My participation in ETHS Ambassadors, WiSTEM, flag-football, Improv Club, ETHS Figure Skating Team, SHPE Regional Science Bowl and Math Team have given me a deep understanding of our school’s diverse community.

Lila Selch: I’m a drum major in the marching band, so I lead rehearsals of 120 people, communicating between teachers and band students. I also conducted YAMO, I’m a captain of the speech team and I was a campaigner for Brandon Johnson’s campaign in Chicago, among other things. 

Eva Hansen: I have been on the Student Council Leadership Board throughout high school and I am part of a variety of clubs and activities at ETHS. I volunteer with ETHS Learn to Swim and Ambassadors and play JV swimming and Varsity track.

Isaiah Turk: I am the head of recruitment for the Student Union (which is always looking for more people to join!), for one.

Annah Stevenson: I am a Co-Chair for the Emerge Initiative Program and have been in the program since freshman year. I also volunteer for the C&W Market Foundation’s food pantry and participate in the Black History Month Literacy Week Team. In addition, I work for Youth and Opportunity United and at King Lab’s after-school program. I am the President of the North Shore Jack and Jill Teen Chapter as well.

The importance of voting

Isaiah Turk: The student vote matters because ETHS is unique in allowing for such a powerful student voice. Our school is lucky to be run by very open and respectful people. I want as many students to vote as possible to show school administrators that we care about school happenings just as much as they do.

Emerson Singer: Students should care about who is elected because the Student Representative’s decisions directly impact them. The Student Representative to the School Board is how students broadcast their voices in the community.

Amen Fisseha: Students should care about who gets elected because as students, they are the ones that are at school the most. So the policies made directly affect them. That is why having a Student Representative that works to listen to students and works to advocate for students matters.

The vote

Eva Hansen: Students should vote for me because I am a sophomore! This is my greatest strength since I have two years to enforce the changes we want to see. 

Rachel Durango-Cohen: I am a firm believer that every voice holds weight, not just the ones that shout the loudest. Students should vote for me because I bring engagement, leadership experience and a dedication to service, with the goal of creating positive change for all Wildkits.

The elected candidate will serve as Student Representative during the 2024-2025 school year, working to understand and speak for the ETHS student body. To learn more about each individual’s campaign, refer to their social media and advertisements throughout the school.