Interviews with newly-elected Student Council members

You can check out the results of all school elections here and class elections here, but for interviews with the winners stay right here. Continue for interviews with All School President Raina Jacques, All School Treasurer Andrew Garcia, Senior Class President Dani Lubin-Levy, Senior Class Vice President Rafael Cabral, and Senior Class Treasurer Michael Firer. We'll add more interviews over the next few days, so check back soon!

All School President: Raina Jacques

What was your first act in office?
My first act in office, besides jumping up and down with Sowande during dinner on our second night of Dreamgirls, was meeting with the administration and the former leaders about some advice they can give me to successfully lead the school next year.

How have you liked running meetings?
Running meetings is a lot of fun but very nerve wracking. It's very exciting to see the amount of love and support that I get all across the Beaver community. Even from just standing in front of the whole school I am sure to encounter a smile that keeps me calm because it gives me a sense of assurance up there.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal for next year is that we can enjoy ourselves as a community as much as we can. I know how hard it is as a junior to have very stressful and challenging classes and I feel it is important to give ourselves a break once in a while to help us maintain our focus. I am hoping that our meetings will continue to be a variety of presentations where every day there is something new to look forward to.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
My biggest fear for next year is that not everyone will agree with the decisions we make as a student council, but I'm hoping that the majority of the community will keep supporting us.

Any other comments?
I am really excited to be your leader for next year. Beaver has shaped me personally throughout my 3 years here and I cannot wait to learn more from each and every one of you.

All School Treasurer: Andrew Garcia

What will be your first act in office?
I don't have any idea what my first act in office will be, and I sort of like that. I haven't had enough time to talk to other Beaver students and really understand the direction they want the school to go in.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal for next year will be to find better places for students to relax or hang-out during frees. My campaign was all about improving the student experience at Beaver, and I guess that starts with creating a comfortable environment here on campus.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
Failing to live up to the responsibility of my office, creating a giant mechagodzilla to fight the real one, or starting a communist witch-hunt in which I unfairly persecute innocent Beaver students.

Trustee / Parent Association Representative: Sam Freeman

What was/will be your first act in office?
My first act in office will be finding out exactly what my job title entails, including who the trustees actually are.

What issues are especially important when talking to trustees and parents? What makes your position unique?
The trustees and parents manage most of the school's money and also posess ultimate veto power, therefore it is imperative to have someone (aka me) who can act as a link between the students and the parents/trustees in order to foster a better relationship the two bodies, no pun intended. My position is unique because I have to be able to understand the students needs, and communicate those needs effectively to the parents/trustees.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal is to prevent Andrew Garcia from fomenting a military coup of the student government and installing a junta and a totalitarian dictatorship with himself as the sole power.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
See above.

Any other comments?
Git'r done.

Senior Class President: Dani Lubin-Levy

What will be your first act in office?
My first act will hopefully planning some senior fundraiser event to raise money for a charity that our class chooses, but of course I would love to know what my peers would like to do.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal is to unify the class, really breaking down on the cliques and barriers.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
My biggest fear would probably have to be doing the graduation speech. While it is very exciting, I know I will be so nervous!

How does it feel to be representing your class in its final year at Beaver?
I am so excited to represent my class for my senior year! I've been at Beaver since 6th grade and have gone through a lot with this class and can't wait to be a strong leader.

Senior Vice President: Rafael Cabral

What will be your first act in office?
Well as I mentioned in my speech on Friday, I look to be part of a team next year. For this reason, I will have to have a conversation with the other members of the student council (next year's senior class student council as well as the all school student council) to decide what is best for the senior class and for the school. However, I believe a good starting point would be to work on the lunch menu for next year. There were definitely some good lunches this year, though I, as well as many other students, feel there could be some improvement in this area.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
Making next year the best and most fun year at Beaver for everyone in the senior class.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
I can't really think of any at the moment. I think the senior class student government and the all school student government will do a great job next year.

How does it feel to be representing your class in its final year at Beaver?
Well of course it feels great. I'm glad my grade gave me the opportunity to improve their final year at Beaver, and I will try my best to accomplish all the goals I have planned for next year.

Considering you had a starring role in the 2006 smash hit "Dan y el Toro," do you consider yourself Beaver's version of actor-politicians like Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwartzenegger?
Well I guess in that sense sure! However, much of the reason those two candidates were chosen to serve in office was because of their fame and popularity. I don't believe this was the case for me; I honestly think that my class chose me because they felt I was a good candidate who could make their senior class as enjoyable as possible.

Any other comments?
I'd just like to say thank you to the entire junior class (next year's senior class) for allowing me this opportunity, and Beaver better be ready for "Dan y el Toro DOS!!"

Senior Class Treasurer: Michael Firer

What will be your first act in office?
That depends on what's practical. I'll probably try to find better uses of unused space. Maybe look into the whole lost and found dealie. 'Cause that's a nice room.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
Actually get something permanent done.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
Having to support stupid t-shirts. *cough* What? Who said that?

How does it feel to be representing your class in its final year at Beaver?
If you only knew.

What will you do about the vending machine situation? Are you satisfied with its outcome, or still pushing for action?
I assume this is one of those things Beaver doesn't plan to change (that new machine probably cost a pretty penny), but I'll try to get the soda machine back. If they're not going to offer an alternative, they can't take the old one away.

Will you fight childhood obesity The Awesome Way?
I mean, I would, but you just know all the middle schoolers would hog the DDR machine.

As a class officer and newspaper contributor, will you leak confidential government secrets to the press?
Isn't that just assumed?

Any other comments?
Pleasedon'tstopthemusiiiiic, pleasedon'tstopthemusiiiiic, pleasedon'tstopthe-pleasedon'tstopthe-pleasedon'tstopthe musiiiic!

Junior Vice President: Willy Tucker

What will be your first act in office?
My first act will likely be to lay out a general plan for the year to come. Then I might create a few taxes. I would probably create one regarding the transport of written documents, and maybe some on things like glass, paint, etc. Sans representation, of course.

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal? To make the students actually happy with their Student Government.

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
Spiders, most likely. Unless something drastically changes between now and then. A jellyfish attack might do it.

Do you pledge not to raise taxes?
See #1.

Will you make Beaver energy independent if it means cranking a generator with your own two hands?
Ha.....that's a laugh. If I could clone myself, however, and have the clone crank the wheel, of course. That would bring up a few issues of morality among the student body, but you know what? I don't care. I will achieve energy independance at any cost (barring any personal effort).

Do you support a preemptive strike against the underground bunkers of the Brimmer & May School?
Is that de-classified yet?

Is it true that when you first came to Beaver in 6th Grade, you arrived under heavy sniper fire and had to sprint from the car into Bradley Hall?
Umm......I misspoke?

Do you think I'm giving you ridiculous questions just because I'm your brother?
Oh my god! You're my brother? It all makes sense now.

Any other comments?
Long live our glorious motherland, her freedom and her independence! Under the banner of Lenin---Onward to victory!

Sophomore Vice President: Tiesha Pough

What will be your first act in office?
Since this is my first time in office at Beaver, my first act in office would be to gather all the student's issues and concerns. It’s important for me to do this because I’m the one who’s representing them and for me to know what issues and concerns they have, it’s a step to making the 10th grade class WONDERFUL!!

What's your biggest goal for the next year?
My biggest goal for the upcoming school year is to not only unify my grade but to make it a year they will enjoy and never forget!!

What's your biggest fear for the next year?
I don’t have any fear at this moment but I am a little nervous about it since this is my first time in office but I’m planning on giving it my all.

Any other comments?
I want to thank the class of 2011 for electing me as their class Vice President and the Beaver Reader for taking in the time to interview me. Thank You!!

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BREAKING NEWS: Class Office Election Results

Class office election results are in. We also have an ever-growing collection of interviews with the winners.

Class of 2009 (Seniors-to-be)
President: Dani Lubin-Levy
Vice President: Rafael Cabral
Treasurer: Michael Firer

Class of 2010 (Juniors-to-be)
President: Joanna Georgakas
Vice President: Willy Tucker
Treasurer: Diallo Spears

Class of 2011 (Sophomores-to-be)
President: Taylor Pierce
Vice President: Tiesha Pough
Treasurer: Kirsten Gute

Congratulations to our new student government!
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A RENEWED CALL TO ARMS: Following Up On the Vending Machine Catastrophe

MICHAEL FIRER '09

Editor's note: The following is a follow-up article to Firer's original vending machine coverage:
A CALL TO ARMS: The Missing Vending Machine


"The harderer the conflict, the even more glorious-er the triumph."
–Me

For a second I thought I could relax. I seemed as though the war was over. How quickly I had forgotten… it’s never over. For those of you out there that are in the dark, over a month ago the school, that cruel, unappeasable tyrant, stole the beloved mechanical distributor of sugared wonders, the candy machine, from us with promises of a new, improved version. Sure, I was doubtful at first. Maybe even a whole article’s worth of doubtful. Eventually, though, I realized that this was an armistice. Instead of a formal treaty, the revolution would end with the installation of a machine that was newer, shinier, and less prone to breaking when tackled. The warriors on each side, battle-weary from the seemingly endless fight, could finally lay down their arms and return to their previous lives. Oh, how naïve I was.

Yes, I will admit it. I was taken in by their promises like a snake-charmer’s cobra. Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” ran through my head as I imagined the technological marvel that would be the new machine. I prepared several fresh dollar bills that would be the “Neil Armstrongs” in my first test of the wonderful box that would come to us as if from a dream and lace our arteries with sweet, sweet cholesterol. What a fool I was. I let my guard down, and, as a result, we must all suffer.

Those of you who give the sleek, black device only a passing glance on the way to and from your daily routines may not understand my outrage. Yes, it’s shiny. Yes, it beeps and flashes like a 50’s TV robot. It doubtlessly stands head-and-shoulders above its more modest rivals, the oft overlooked water and juice machines. But you know something, friends? There was once a big wooden horse that looked better than all the other big wooden animals out there, and do you know what it did? It slaughtered an entire city that had lovingly taken it in as its own. At least I think it was something like that. Anyway, beware this fancy intruder, for although it appears to be all that the people desire, upon closer inspection, the problem is all too obvious.

Gone are the Skittles, the Doritos, the Twix, and the Pop-Tarts. In their stead are Luna Bars, Veggie Pirate’s Booty, Special K-Bars, and other *shudder* healthy replacements. This is, again, a travesty. It is my right as an American to stuff myself with whatever form of pure sugar I wish! No, no, I know there’s been a rise in obesity, epidemic, blah blah blah, but you know what? There are better solutions than impeding on our God-given rights! If you want to fight childhood obesity, do it the awesome way. Anyway, this disregard for our human rights is the reason that I, yet again, must declare a call to arms. We must fight to the end!

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph! The harder the- hey… these Luna Bars aren’t have half bad… the harder the… they’re… harder the conflict… actually… they’re… they’re pretty good… Um… Okay, know what? Why don’t you just go away, okay? Go find some other demagogue to spout buzzwords at you.

I’m going to go raid the new vending machine.

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BREAKING NEWS: All-School Student Government Election Results

Congratulations to the new student government!

President: Raina Jacques
Vice President: Sowande Gray
Treasurer: Andrew Garcia
Trustee / Parent Association Representative: Sam Freeman
Faculty / Alumni Representative: Roland Atema



Watch for more coverage in the coming hours and days.


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Relive Monday's election speech highlights

Here's a very, very abbreviated version of Monday's speeches, focusing on some of the funnier moments. There's some amazing stuff that had to get cut, so if people are interested we can post some more, but YouTube holds you to 10 minutes.



Andrew Garcia--overrepresented much? Oh well. :)
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Students on the campaign trail

It's just like the real election, only our trail starts and ends in Bradley Hall. :)

On Monday, students running for all school offices made their case to the student body. We'll put video of the speeches online shortly, but in the mean team, enjoy these photos. And remember: check back tonight to find out the results!

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Breaking: Vice-President Bellot Responds to the creation of OCDS

Editor's Note: The following article by Jared Bellot is in response to an earlier April Fools Day article: Student government deemed illegitimate and unconstitutional; splinter group establishes government in exile. This article makes little sense unless read in context, so we recommend reading the original article first.

Mr. and Ms. Beaver Reader readers,

Recently it came to my attention that a splinter cell “terrorist group” calling itself the OCDS has begun to challenge the legitimacy of the Wilmot-Bellot administration and the BCDS student council as a whole. Let it be known that in no way will the Beaver Student Council allow such danger inflicted on our beloved student body. Our goal as a governing body is to prevent regimes (terrorist) that sponsor terror from threatening Beaver Country Day School or our friends and allies with weapons of mass destruction and anti progressive values. Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since their succession from the greater school on the first of April 2008. But we know their true nature. The OCDS is a regime arming with missiles and weapons of un-progressiveness, while starving its students of the knowledge and hands on learning which they crave oh so much.

The OCDS aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an unelected few repress the students and their hopes for freedom.

Groups like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass destruction, and a break away from our progressive values, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They could provide these anti-progressive learning values to terrorists, giving them the means to match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the humble and beautiful Beav. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be catastrophic. Thank you, and remember, if we stop learning, the OCDS will win. Never stop learning. Never stop questioning. And so my fellow Beaver students, I leave you with these parting thoughts. In this time of great worry and danger for our school, remember, the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself, not the so called “OCDS” and their politics of fear.

Sincerely,

Jared Bellot
Vice President of BCDS Student Council
Adviser to President Wilmot + President Bush
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A CALL TO ARMS: The Missing Vending Machine

MICHAEL FIRER ‘09

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
- Thomas Paine

My friends, I’m sure I need not remind you of the travesty that took place recently. A great misfortune has befallen us, as someone has felt the need to deliver a shockingly underhanded blow to all that is good and respectable. I speak, of course, of the missing vending machine that once resided along with its brothers in the basement annex adjacent to the student lounge. This respected member of our beloved community had for years served up various goods to the people, including even, at one tumultuous time in its life at Beaver, cheese danishes. Without ever so much as uttering a single word, this colorful dispenser of confectionery delights managed to worm its way into our hearts.

However, it would appear that the machine had made several an enemy, for one seemingly uneventful morning I approached the corner in which it normally lay, a crisp Mr. Washington in my hand, and received a shock incomparable to any I had ever had. The barren space left by the machine was but a mere echo of the one in my heart. Nothing remained but a large wooden board and a stain of questionable origin.

Naturally, I blame the school. It was clear that my compatriots have more honor than to commit such a flagrant disregard for fundamental human decency, but the reason for my accusation extends beyond that. Let us take a look at the hard facts that are immediately present. Who else would stand to benefit from the sudden absence of the machine in question, and then be willing to move all roughly 880 pounds of it to achieve said absence? The fat cats at the top have a known history with this sort of thing. Who can forget the depraved theft of the furniture from the student lounge that sparked a sit-in of epic proportions? Well, needless to say, the furniture was returned, and although a formal apology was not issued and proper reparations were never paid, it was a step in the right direction.

The people have been pushed aside for too long. We can no longer sit by and do nothing as the bureaucrats at the top slowly crush us in their ever tightening grip. The time is now, my friends. We must do the only sensible thing possible, and take up arms against the Goliath that is the Beaver Country Day School. It will be a long, bloody fight, and I have no doubt that many will be lost before any semblance of victory is reached, but what great cause has ever been achieved without sacrifice? Consider this an ultimatum, Beaver. Until that machine is returned and my people can again enjoy their Doritos, Cheetos, and other assorted “eetos” with ease, the onslaught will not end.

Oh, wait… hold on. Turns out that they’re just replacing it with a new one. That makes sense, I guess. The old one broke a lot. Ooh. Uh… so… don’t do all that stuff I said… but… uh… never give up the endless struggle! The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph! The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph!

More information coming soon about the new and improved snack machine. How's that for investigative journalism!
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Fun Day!!!!!!!!!!!

TAYLOR HAIGLER ’08 AND MADDY KIEFER ‘08

In retrospect, we probably should have realized this was not going to be an average Monday. First off, the teachers were all wearing jeans and sweatshirts, which is normally only allowed on casual Fridays, and the student council was gathered in the balcony during meeting. No one really noticed this, however. We were too preoccupied with the anticipation of our new courses.

Students came to school expecting to receive the exams that they failed, grudgingly start third term classes and get hours and hours of homework. But to everyone’s excitement, IT WAS FUN DAY!!!

Before this was revealed, we sat in suspense while Mr. Manning lamented the loss of his ‘stolen strawberries’ and the punishment that the perpetrator would suffer. After Clay Marsh ‘09 and Sam O’Reilly ’09 were interrogated and snitched on Michael Manning ‘09, Peter Wilmot ’08 informed the student body that it was all a hoax. Instead of reluctantly beginning our third term classes, we were treated to 45 minutes of BAGELS and CAPRI SUNS and then shuttled to Quincy and Somerville for 3 hours of INTENSE CANDLE PIN BOWLING. We enjoyed the funtivities while eating BAG LUNCHES and drinking WATER! We returned to school to watch the faculty TRUMP the seniors in a volleyball match, but they fought hard. Overall, it was a great start to senior slump… I mean… spring term.
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