The start of a new year means a new Student Government and fresh faces. For the 2023-24 school year, Hen Hud welcomes a new roster of Student Government leaders, including a pair of siblings, track stars, mathletes, artists, and some of the most dedicated students in the district’s community. We interviewed each of our officers in an effort to translate the organization’s mission for the school year.

Starting appropriately with our Student Government President, the “calm, collected, and confident” senior George Wright. With this attitude, George hopes to “promote camaraderie” and “school spirit” within the high school. While interviewing George, his answers were conscientious and precise, a reflection of his approach to the role of President. Having already spearheaded the successful Homecoming Spirit Week and Pep Rally, George’s presidency is off to a successful start. 

George speaks of the “positive working environment” he’s enjoyed, and commends the new administration’s approach to Student Government’s involvement insofar. While interviewed, George spoke at length about the role of the administration in realizing the goals of his government, and commended the new staff, particularly Principal Scollins, often. Additionally, George graciously requested to thank Mrs. Lupien for her “tremendous help” in recentering the club after several obstacles in the beginning of the school year. 

Increased collaboration across athletics and arts is one of the recent positives to come out of the new Student Government; the Haunted High School managed to bridge the gap by inviting athletes to participate as well, either in rooms or as tour guides as the Cheerleading team ran a room for the first time, alongside many students involved in extracurricular activities or the arts. With the Pumpkin Pops following the Haunted High School, the building was filled with students from across the school’s many extracurriculars and resulted in an admirable moment of communal effort for an exciting and successful final product. 

With a touch of humor, he notes that “half the job is writing emails,” yet the communication touched on here is one of the largest components to his success. From the morning announcements, Schoology posts, and internal communication between club advisors and the officers, George has stressed this communication-connection symbiosis relationship as something the Student Government hopes to foster within the Hendrick Hudson Community. 

The sister to the president, Vice President Catherine Wright, is just as ready to take on her new role. Her plans include polling students to find and solve issues in the school, as well as increasing Student Government fundraising in order to have a second pep rally or a carnival in the spring. Catherine wants students to know that they can “easily approach the Student Government with their ideas and concerns,” and that she can bring her “perspective as well as that of other students” to the role.

Challenging herself in and outside of the school with various advanced classes, Catherine additionally plays on the school’s varsity soccer and lacrosse teams. Alongside other members of Student Government, she is currently working on school activities and events such as additional “spirit weeks” and “Haunted High School” alongside her various other community endeavors. 

Our three other government officers, Alex Wong, Ember Bates, and Rhylee Adviento, are just as committed to the mission of Student Government expressed by Catherine and George. 

Alex Wong, the General Secretary, is in charge of note taking, advising various policies, collating surveys, and “processing and filtering information through to the students” throughout the school. A member of the Math Honor Society, Tri-M Honor Society, Mathletes, Menso-Forte, Italian Honor Society, and am co-founder of the Music Culture Club, Alex particularly credits his strength in Mathletes as a large contributor to his success, noting his high scores at previous competitions as one of his best accomplishments. 

Treasurer Ember Bates takes on the production of several events, finding the necessary supplies and budgeting accordingly in order to ensure the Student Government operates smoothly, particularly on the economic front. She hopes to “be a bridge between the student body and executive board,” already does so with her participation as Steam Club President, Mock Trial Vice President, a Lit Mag editor, and participant in Reading Club, Mathletes, Sailors Supporting Sailors, Yearbook Club, and National Art Honor Society. 

Last but certainly not least, Rhylee Adviento as our Press Secretary, accumulates ideas from the student body. She notes the importance of “specific objectives” to the success of the Student Government in serving the community, the precision of their goals the first step in accomplishing them. Rhylee is a member of National Art Honor Society, Hispanic Honor Society, STEAM Club, FBLA, Lit Mag, and the HenHud Track and Cross Country teams. 

Across every officer, the message was clear; this school year is a fresh start for the Student Government with a clean slate ready to initiate progress. The leadership is excited to represent the student body and contribute as much as it can to our school’s community, and we look forward to seeing how these wonderful students will help to better Hendrick Hudson going into the new school year.