In what seems to be the blink of an eye, the academic year is underway, but the Student Council has already been busy planning pep rallies and school events.

The Hopewell Valley Central High School student body is represented by President Ella Zimmerman, Vice President Julianna Silva, Secretary Charlotte Kavanaugh, Treasurer Ryan Rhodes, and Board of Education Representative Sam Neal. The council members work in collaboration with each other as well as their advisors, Ms. Lee and Ms. Olszyk, in order to organize, advertise, and fund upcoming events for the school and advocate for their peers.

However, the events planned by the student council have looked different this year considering the impact of COVID-19. When interviewed about the past few months and the year ahead, Vice President Julianna Silva said that she hopes people can understand that “[as] Seniors and Juniors, we all are really trying to push as many events and fun activities this year while being safe in order to take full advantage of the little time we have left.” Silva adds, “We urge students to continue wearing their masks [and] taking precautions to prevent the spread of Covid in and out of school so that we can have the winter and fall we all want.” 

The dedication that Silva spoke of was evident at this year’s Fall Pep Rally, which was successfully held outdoors in October. The scheduling of future events remains uncertain based on the prevalence of COVID-19 and the availability of large spaces that are weather dependent. 

Nonetheless, President Ella Zimmerman is confident that the cancellation of Homecoming “due to the increase in Covid cases in our community” will give the student body something new to look forward to. “It is rescheduled for March and will not only be cheaper but also less strict in dress code to allow students to just have fun with their friends.” 

When each member was asked to provide a few words of advice pertaining to their goals and how the CHS community can work to achieve them, the resounding consensus was to get more involved.

The Treasurer, Ryan Rhoades, encouraged students “to not be afraid to bring up anything they would like to see change at Hopewell. Student Council will try to make student life better for everyone, and if you have any suggestions on ways this can be achieved, we have open ears.”

Zimmerman articulates how the Student Council is implementing new strategies to incorporate the voices of highschoolers through “student-based initiatives.” This involves “fairness in dress code, the involvement of the arts, utilizing parts of the school that haven’t been used in a long time… Our advice to students would be to make the best of the situation we find ourselves in! Try to stay positive and look forward to the future.” 

Do you want to see the work of the Student Council in action? Make sure to support the officers at their upcoming blood drive! The event will take place at the Miller Keystone center in Ewing, New Jersey, from November 17th-20th.