It’s really impressive to consider the Fieldston School has a student government operated by 27 different members of the student body. A high school presided over by 27 students? Wow. Seems like an awful lot! The question is: can this many people be effective in serving the school and its ever-changing needs? Who should be the ones to judge or measure the effectiveness of the government? Therein lies the biggest challenge these 27 elected officials face: they are judged by a jury of their peers, namely their fellow students. Two co-presidents run the government body. These two students are the ones that set the tone and essentially create the mission statement for the student government. The more specific goals depend upon an ethos curated by the presidents. As an example, previous 2021-2022 FSG co-presidents Lena Habtu and Eli Satlof described “capitalizing on boosting happiness and cultivating community,” as the guiding principles for implementing specific changes on campus.
The changes student government aims to make come about by listening to the constituents and collaborating with the school administration on topics ranging from the location of an upcoming Pep Rally to SOCM (Students of Color Matter) goals to mental health support systems. Every decision and every resource allocated for a decision is vulnerable to public opinion. This challenge distinguishes it from other student activities. For example, if you are a photography club or the tennis team, you are not subject to the same lingering scrutiny. “The decisions that FSG made have been really thoughtful. With each decision or initiative they’ve done, they’ve done a great job of collaborating with the appropriate constituents,” explains Tony Marro, Dean of Student Engagement, “and, to that end, The FSG shouldn’t be judged solely on only new things but enhancements of initiatives and programs that we already have in place as well.”
Presidents and the other student government members are tasked with improving on existing parts of the community but must, obviously, also move the agenda and goal for the ethical culture forward with new initiatives. Larger external circumstances can make the challenge even more complex. During the Covid era, FSG co-presidents Nina Kronengold and Calder Stokes had to navigate the unprecedented challenge of online school. “It’s sometimes difficult to feel motivated for class and it’s sad to see the disconnect between people in the classroom,” remarked Kronengold. With other cabinet members representing each school subject (for example, Secretary of English, Secretary of Ethics, Secretary of Science and so on), the students representing each specific school topic take their cue from the tone set by the co-presidents and the administration. Imagine trying to run the school when the students can’t even attend in person and may not have a prom?
“It’s really important for the student to vote for co-presidents they think represent the state of the school in the here and now and that trickles down to every other government member,” explains FSG Representative Reanna Bilbao. While there is certainly a lot of opinion about government effectiveness, the effectiveness depends critically on students being invested and committed to supporting it. There also has to be joy in the initiatives. The City Semester Secretary (a recently created student government position) collaborated with previous presidents to create a garden to offer a sanctuary and place for students to decompress or study. The hope is that the garden will reduce students’ anxiety as they interact with nature. While the community shifts its priorities from year to year and reflects the goings-on in the outside world as well as within the community, it remains strong and committed to an “Ethical Culture.” I’m sure Alex Brooks and Tess McGarvey agree. The student government is the sum of its parts, so students should do their part and support the government.
