Smallville Torch — Season One

STUDENT GOVERNMENT SHOULD REPRESENT SMALLVILLE HIGH

By Pete Ross

In a few weeks, our current student administration will be wrapping up, and a new one will be chosen. I hope we make better choices than we have before.

When I printed an editorial in the Torch about the quality of the schoolbooks, there was an overwhelming response. Of course, not one of our student representatives contacted me. “Represent” being the operative word here, our elected officials are supposed to represent us.

Each class is expected to earn a certain amount of money through fundraisers in order to lower the costs for prom, graduation and more. I contacted sophomore class treasurer Ross Webster and learned that the graduating class of 2004 has a total of $57.64 saved. Keep in mind, this money is all that has been earned in TWO YEARS. Unless our student government can find ways to raise money, the sophomore class can look forward to spending $400 per guest at the prom.

Students at Smallville High have other financial concerns, like rising prices at the local hangout and auto repair payments, and spending $400 for the big night did not rank on the Smallville High School “Deepest Desire” poll. Where are these representatives who gave great campaign promises of a better class budget?

I hope that our next student officials enter the race for the right reasons and that they genuinely care about what happens to their class. Becoming class president, for example, shouldn’t be just a popularity contest or a highlight for a college application. If you want your class to be something better, I encourage you to run. But, if we end up with only the “popular” types in office, I will be very disappointed.