
Past Batch 2019 Presidents
It has been five years since Batch 2019 first set foot in the school and, every year, the batch votes for a new council.
Several questions probably pop in the both the batch’s and the candidates’ heads about the upcoming elections. In this article, The Science Scholar interviewed former Batch 2019 council presidents to answer some of those questions.
What were some issues that you encountered?
Running the batch council is no simple task. Each school year brings a new set of challenges and responsibilities, including issues.
Grade 7 president, JM Escueta said that “as elected officials we are supposed to reflect their wants and needs.” Heading a council in charge of overseeing the needs of 240 students meant each president had to face the reality of not being able to please everyone.
Issues with communication and representation extended not only to the students but the teachers and parents as well. Sometimes, it felt as if the PTA was limiting the control of the council when making decisions. This is prevalent especially during the planning of major batch activities and events.
What is the best and the worst/most challenging part about running the batch?
Running the batch is not something to be taken lightly because it does take up a lot of time and effort. “There’s the usual stress of having to cope with acads and at the same time there’s leadership work.” said grade 9 president, Migo Pagdanganan.
Aside from how physically and mentally tiring it is, being the president also means that you carry the burden of the whole batch. This includes being responsible for the events. But as stated by Migo, “It was a labor of love.”
Grade 10 president, Empoy Reyes said that the best part of being president was when it was over. Not just because they were able to get it over with but because the end brought with it the realization that it was all worth it.
Tips for the people running this year?
“If you think it’s hard work, it’s even harder than that,” JM Escueta said.
Motivation is key when it comes to being part of the batch council. It is extremely easy to get overwhelmed with everything that needs to be done. This is true especially if the commitment and the heart to serve isn’t there.
Keep in mind also the importance of cooperating with the teachers in charge and the other members of the council. It’s a lot of hard work, but trust the rest of the council and their abilities.
Running the batch or being president is “not just an event thing or when they need you.” Like Empoy said, you are a leader 24/7.
Tips for the voters?
According to Migo Pagdanganan, it’s important to vote based on the values of the candidate as a person. These values will determine the type of leader the person will be and the kind of decisions that will be made.
“Anyone can have ideas.. But it’s about leadership, heart, and resilience.” said Empoy Reyes. It’s about the ability of the candidate to implement the ideas created,because at the end of the day ideas can be shared even among those from different parties.
But ultimately, remember to support whoever wins because they all want what’s best for the entire batch.
