Race to the Presidency

Class president elections are just around the corner! To help you get to know the candidates, we asked each of them to answer a few prompts so you can learn what they’re passionate about. At the Pelican, we hope you all use this as an opportunity to choose a candidate that speaks to you and make an educated choice. Good luck to all of the candidates and go vote!

Please note that responses were slightly edited solely for typos and grammar

Here are the prompts that were asked:

1. Why did you decide to run for student body president and why would you be the best fit for the position?
2. What are some goals you wish to accomplish as president and what impact would you like your presidency to have?
3. Write a short bio about yourself.

Joz Butler

1. I chose to run for president because I want to make change. I want to set up structure for the students who come after me to be able to effectively implement their ideas, even if they’re ambitious. Restructuring might seem like a lot of work, but I'm prepared for it. I've spent the last year creating the Pelican and its community from scratch. From it, I've learned a lot about management and how to work consistently with my team while also taking into consideration their schedules.
2. My goals for the presidency are split into two categories: evaluation and expansion. The first set of goals focus on the structure of the Student Council, to see if it is truly serving the student body, and to reformat it if it does not. For example, currently, our SC constitution states "the president represents students from all four grades." However, in this election, the incoming freshman class will not vote for their elected official for their first year of high school, nor will any new students. This could easily be fixed with elections in the fall, and there are many small problems that can be addressed that are similar to this.
   Restructuring also includes communication. This year we should have had more student feedback to understand our opinions on the changes during this year, especially surrounding things like the mod schedule. I'd like to help collect information from the student body and amplify student voices for the adults to listen to.
   My other set of goals centers around government expansion, along with transparency. After creating more of a presence for the Student Council, I will create new positions, grant council members new privileges, and push the limits of what we can achieve with student government. I want the Student Council to be accessible to everyone, and if someone wants to participate, they should be able to. You can find more about my plans at http://studentfirst.carrd.co/ !
3. Hi, I'm Joz Butler! You may know me from my work in the theater or from the Pelican; I'm the editor in chief there. I spend most of my free time either working on the newspaper or doing art. I really enjoy STEM and I've worked in computer science for the majority of my life. I'm fully remote this year, so you can't say hi in person, but once I'm back, look for the kid with the super bright rainbow bracelets! I promise I don't bite ;)

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Nick Clark

1. I decided to run because I think that student government has the power to do a lot more to make students' school experiences better.
2. I want to make the next year the best year possible for students. For freshmen, this is their first fully in person year. For sophomores, next year is the first year of being upperclassman. For Juniors, next year is our last one at King. Our first year back is such an important event, and it's clear to me that we should be doing everything we can to make it the best one. I will do whatever the student body wants me to, and I'll be asking regularly. I want to bring back spikeball tournaments, candy outside the cafeteria, and other things that students didn't get to have this year.
3. I've been at king since freshman year, when Luke Buttenwieser was president. I do debate and songwriting, and I love history class. I row crew and volunteer on weekends for Building One Community. Mostly though, I am just a King School junior.

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Emmi Freeman

1. I decided to run for president because I have strong leadership and communication skills and I am extremely approachable. I am not new to leadership roles; I have been elected to many leadership positions in the past. I was elected to peer review for my Freshman/Sophomore years, and this year I won the post of Junior Class Representative. I would be the best fit because I represent the King virtues of kindness, respect, integrity and perseverance, which I plan to talk more about in my speech!
2. As president, I would like to work on bringing the community together in more ways. I think now more than ever, it is important to have a sense of community at King, considering the pandemic and the shift in the head of school position. As president, I intend to work hard to reinstate normal King traditions, as well as create new ones to expand our educational and social horizons. I would like my legacy as president to reflect our inclusive community and strengthen our connections with one another.
3. Hi everyone! My name is Emmi Freeman, and I have been going to King for 13 years (which makes me a lifer). I am a (October) libra, and I am the current leader of the Book Club, a member of the Environmental, Milestones and Student Activities clubs, as well as next year’s co-president of Model UN. I play softball and basketball and will be the captain of the soccer team next year. My favorite subject is US History or Global Art History. If anyone has any questions/concerns for me about proposals, school, or life my email is: @[email protected]. Thanks and vote for me!

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Ryan Hammoud

This candidate did not respond.

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Jack Holtz

1. I decided to run for student body president because I felt something was missing in the King community. I felt that morale was down and that the energy at school was not the same. I feel like I would be a great fit because I want to bring a positive vibe and make school fun again.
2. I want to make the school a better place. I want people to actually be excited to come to school or at least have something to look forward to.
3. My name is Jack Holtz and I have been at King for 13 years. I am the vice president of the sports business club. I also am a 2 year co-captain of the JV basketball team while I also am playing football next year.

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Dean Kaduboski

1. I came to King at the beginning of ninth grade, and have had a great three years. I really want to give back to the school in my last year here. I think I have something to offer: I’m enthusiastic, I’m friends with people across all of the grades, I’m a part of multiple clubs and sports, and I think I can relate well with everyone at the school!
2. 2020 was memorable for all the wrong reasons, so I want to make next year memorable for all the right reasons. By next fall, things should be safer, so I want to get everyone out and socializing - the whole school! I’ve also interviewed dozens of kids about what they want to see for the school, and I have some more great ideas from those interviews. Be sure to watch my speech to hear a few of them!
3. I’ve been at King for three years, and have joined a number of clubs and teams. I’m a captain on both the track and cross country teams, and a captain of our successful debate team. I also ran the music club last year, which some of you may remember for the donuts at every meeting. I also have a great time performing in the jazz combo band at King. Thanks so much to the Pelican for doing these candidate profiles, I hope this helps people get to know us! Go watch our videos and vote!

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Faith Walton

1. I ran for student body president because my friends would often voice things they wish were available/changed and I wanted the ability to actively make that change. I think I would be the best fit because I am passionate about helping others; I want everyone at King to enjoy it as much as I have.
2. After a difficult year of sacrificing a lot of (mainly event-based) things, I wanted to introduce some activities that would be Covid-safe and fun. But I also want to tailor to everyone. I have brainstormed some ideas that range from sports to art to community service. But this year has not all been about Covid. We have had to start the discussion about some difficult topics like racism and sexual harassment, to name a few. King has made an effort to address these issues especially during community programs, but I want to go deeper and talk about how those issues may be a reality for some at King. By creating a student-lead discussion, I hope students can voice their experiences so we can actively make a change for our peers.
3. I started King in the 9th grade and I have loved every minute of my time here. I joined a variety of clubs and sports every year to expand my passions. Currently I am on the crew team and I participate in the yearbook, King Cares, NOLA, and feminism club. I was elected as junior class representative and I hope I get the chance to be a part of student council again.

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