By Emily Locker
To my Gladiator family,
Serving as your student council president has been nothing short of an honor, and I am so grateful for what we have been able to accomplish.
My overall goal as president was to make students enjoy coming to school. I would always be on the search for new challenges or opportunities that New Hyde Park Memorial could take on, which led me to the Hand Washing Challenge. As simple and silly as it sounds, this event brought students and faculty together during a time when our only interactions were limited to Google Meets. One of the biggest obstacles I had was the incoming seventh graders. This was their first year at a new, big, high school, and they did not get the chance to fully experience this transition and make new memories as the rest of us did. The Hand Washing Challenge was a successful and very engaging project for the seventh graders, which I could not be more happy about. Students submitted videos of themselves washing their hands to any song of their choice and were impressively creative with it. Seeing so many new faces watching the seventh graders become more comfortable with their peers was truly a victory as president.
Source by Anna Detke
Student body president Emily Locker coordinates meetings with the student council representatives through Google Meets.
Another unforgettable memory from this year was P.S. I Love You Day. This event emphasized the importance of joining together as a community to create an environment filled with mental health awareness, love, and positivity. On the morning of P.S. I Love You Day, the student council warmly welcomed every student and faculty member as they came into school. The lockers and hallways were covered with positive quotes and posters that reinforced the message behind the event. Throughout the rest of the school day, students participated in mental health awareness activities, where they had the chance to unwind and learn about acceptance. It was a very active, yet calming day for the NHP Memorial community, which was exactly what we needed. P.S. I Love You Day brought the Gladiators together and spread happiness throughout the building.
Seeing the effects of student council-run events on the rest of the building is such an amazing feeling. Ever since I was a seventh grader, I always tried to make others smile and feel welcome. As the student body president, I am so grateful to have made the whole school community smile and feel welcome, especially since high school can be intimidating at times. Until then, I’ll catch you on the morning announcements: Go Park!