Despite being held amid a pandemic and a continued distance learning teaching model, Woodside’s students voted for the new Board of Student Affairs in an online election on March 17.
While some students had difficulties logging in, the leaders were announced Friday, March 19, as being:
BOSA President: Elise Evans
BOSA Vice President: Natalie Melgar
BOSA Treasurer: Aiden Helfand
BOSA Secretary: Calvin Quan
Natalie Melgar, a sophomore at Woodside and next year’s BOSA Vice President, has many aspirations she hopes to achieve.
“I’d really like to step up our game in terms of our school spirit and our events,” Melgar said. “I think really outside of the box, so I really think I could use that for our future events.”
Melgar plans to propose new events and fundraisers that can help Woodside. She’s always been determined, and she enjoys doing leadership activities.
“I’ve always actually loved leadership since middle school,” Melgar said. “In fifth grade, I ran for a position, and I’ve loved it ever since.”
Melgar also expressed how she likes Woodside and its people.
“I love the sense of community and how diverse Woodside is,” Melgar said. “You can make friends easily, [and] there’s so much variety to choose from, too.”
Another student who was elected as a leader for next year is Adin Helfand. Helfand is currently a junior at Woodside.
“Most of the stuff I would like to achieve is orientated towards making the Campus more equitable,” Helfand said. “I would like to see a palpable change in having equal support for all students.”
Helfand has many ideas regarding how she can help Woodside’s students. Helfand hopes to reduce the use of the N-word and aspires to make sure all people are considered equal.
When asked what her plans are, Helfand responded, “ Definitely [making Woodside] more equitable racially and also in terms of gender. I’d like to see the spread of materials and resources that promote increased awareness and encourage students to be proactive and anti-racist.”
Helfand hopes to increase awareness about various topics at Woodside. Helfand also mentioned how she enjoys getting involved.
Helfand has many ideas that can help the campus. As a freshman, she always liked how Woodside students would be united. That’s when she knew she wanted to become a part of the supportive group, which is the Leadership class at Woodside.
“I fell in love with the very supportive leading community that we have at Woodside,” Helfand said. “I have time, I have a mind I can put to work, so I wanted to get involved.”
Leslie With, the student activities director at Woodside, works with the BOSA students. She mentioned that the students who are in BOSA have the ability to share their voices with others.
“[BOSA students] represent the student voice to the administration,” With said.
With also mentioned that the BOSA representatives must have other skills so that they can succeed.“[Such as] leadership skills, communication and having the insight to speak out for all students.”
With teaches two leadership classes at Woodside. Leadership isn’t like any other class, though. Leadership isn’t led by a teacher; the teachers just facilitate the class.
“Instead of me sitting in front of a class and teaching everything,” With said, “I bring in my student leaders to work with the other students in the class.”
The Leadership class is student-led and allows students to decide how they want to help Woodside’s community. Helfand is one of the many students who decided they wanted to get involved.
“I wanted to familiarize myself with a kind of leadership program my sophomore year, but then, I kind of just fell in love with the really supportive, leading community that we have at Woodside,” Helfand said.
