After much anticipation, the Lower School will soon hold its very first Student Council elections later this month. In preparation for this important milestone, the School invited Maryland House of Delegates member and Upper School parent Sara Love to speak with students on Oct. 3.
Before her audience of third through sixth graders, faculty, and administrators, the delegate drew on her own experiences to help girls better understand government, running for office, and the roles and responsibilities of elected officials.
Love recalled her own election in 2018 and the hard road to victory. "I knocked on over 9,000 doors myself," she said.
This was tough, she admits—but so worth it. "I love what I do, and if you really love it, you'll be more inclined to do what it takes to get the job done," Love said.
The delegate asked girls to think about whether running for Student Council interested them. If so, why do they want to run? What are their strengths and weaknesses, and how can they best market the former while working to improve the latter? What issues matter most to them—and what's most important to their classmates? How will they make sure they're not just advancing their own personal agenda, but serving the whole Lower School?
"I belong to a political party," Love said, "but my job is to represent everyone in my part of the state. It doesn't matter whether they personally voted for me or not."
Students had many questions for the delegate, from whether to enlist a campaign manager (maybe, if it's someone you work well with and trust) to how to know what constituents want (listen, listen, listen!).
Lower School Student Council elections will take place Oct. 23-25 and the first meeting is scheduled for Oct. 29. The first term will run through February, then elections will take place once more, giving a new crop of students the opportunity to get involved and build leadership skills.
Learn more about the student-led efforts to create a Lower School Student Council here.