The new school year brings the Student Government Association (SGA) and their new leaders with it. SGA has been a huge part of pride and tradition for the past few years, yet a lot of people still don’t know what they do or how to really get involved.
Last week, the newest SGA Class Presidents were elected; Jack Turrentine (Freshman), Ella Blair (Sophomore), Bri Richards (Junior), Emma Sidoti and Haley Hill (Seniors) are the leading team of student representatives, along with now 3-year strong Student Body President Lauren Turrentine (Senior).
Their goals are different individually for representing each of their classes, but the collective motivation for SGA leadership this year is to bring the school together, get more involvement, and create new opportunities for the students, such as a coffee bar in the commons coming this winter (you can thank Lauren for that one) and a new senior tradition.
SGA stands for Student Government Association. It is, as Mrs. Searcy defines it, a way to “give students representation within the school”. Mrs. Searcy is a new staff member the newest SGA teacher sponsor, taking over the position once filled by Mr. Brewer.
She and the student representatives of the SGA work closely with each other and the administration to plan school-wide events, share ideas, and make a change. They are the masterminds behind things like Spirit Week, Pep Rallies/Homecoming, Movie Night, and the Student Leadership Summit in the spring.
One of the most important things about SGA is in the name itself: students. It is a student-run and operated group. “I think it’s important because there’s a lot of times where people have a really great idea, but don’t really have a network of people to make that goal happen,” In an interview, Lauren elaborates on the importance of the diverse student representation and communication she wants to leave behind her as she graduates this year, along with the majority of current SGA members.
Mrs. Searcy agrees in her interview as well; “There are so many things that high schoolers don’t have control over… but you can have control over the things you want done at the school.” Not only does the club help students, but is equally important to the administration and principals at Central. “It gives them the ability to communicate with students and talk about… what the student body wants.”
“We are not a club that you have to fill out a form for,” Lauren says, “If you only want to come once because you have an idea to share, then come once!” The atmosphere if the group is to be open to the student body and allow that communication network to be available.
All members, including administration that work closely with the students, try to make an environment of positive change where no idea is a bad idea and no question should go unanswered. All in all, it’s “a very welcoming group”.
However, SGA hasn’t always been this involved as like other schools or previous years here at Central. The club was restarted only two years ago when Lauren and many of the other seniors were sophomores at Central. “SGA didn’t really exist my freshman year,” she says. With the help of Mr. Brewer, it came back into the focus of the administration and is a growing effort.
SGA is always looking for new students and new ideas, especially from freshman and sophomores. The more student body opinions they can get, the more efficiently they can run and make positive impacts on the school and the community surrounding it.
The best ways to get involved are to communicate with the class representatives, the administration (mainly Mr. Brown, Mr. Wise, Mr. Lambert, and Mrs. Searcy), and to share your ideas with reckless abandon. SGA meetings are always open and usually occur on Wednesdays in room 214, where Mrs. Searcy and Lauren host them. Anyone is welcome to help improve their school and lift school spirits in Student Government.
More from The Bobcat Times:
The Bobcat Times 