Four New Officers Set for 2024 Student Council

By Leslie Cranford, Section Manager

The TTU K-12 student body voted in its Student Council officers for the 2024 calendar year in early January. The school’s organization is provided guidance and resources from the National Association of Student Councils (NASC).

The four elected officers are Lauren Holder, 10th grade, president; Kyleigh Castloo, 11th grade, vice president; Ashlyn Schiller, 8th grade, responding secretary and Kaylee Schiller, 8th grade, corresponding secretary.

As president, Lauren already has a vision for her time in office and shared what the opportunity means to her and for the online school. “Being student council president means being a leader and a voice for my fellow classmates,” she said. “It’s all about making positive changes and creating a sense of community throughout our school.”

Since 1931, the goal of the NASC has been to help all student councils become more effective organizations. The national organization represents middle and high school councils nationwide. It seeks to provide a valuable leadership partnership between students and their school, creating the opportunity for students to become effective leaders, encouraging and influencing a positive school climate.

Taylor Fierro, TTU K-12 faculty adviser for the organization, explained that operating as a virtual school, TTU K-12 students miss out on the in-person experience traditional schools can offer.

“Being able to provide this program and experience for our students allows them to establish meaningful connections with each other and school staff, while also becoming more involved with their communities,” Fierro said. “Student council plays a pivotal role in building discipline, communication skills and leadership qualities. These attributes are influential as the students make the transition to college and the workforce, overall contributing to their professional and personal development.”

The NASC is a program of the National Association of Secondary School Principals and is built on four important pillars.

• Leadership – Supporting the development of student and adviser leadership skills and knowledge.
• Service – Helping build a climate of caring and tolerance through volunteerism and service to others.
• Student Voice – Promoting the student council as the voice of the student body and giving every student an opportunity to be heard.
• Engagement – Encouraging students to become involved in school and community leadership and decision-making.

Fierro said the officers will meet monthly over Zoom.