Los Altos High School’s freshman class council changed from dedicated positions to representatives this school year, removing yearlong positions for president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and publicity commissioner. 

According to ASB adviser Sarah Alvarado, the change aims to relieve pressure for the freshman officers. She understands it can be difficult to handle the change from middle school to high school. 

“To put all these responsibilities on one student’s shoulders is a lot of expectations,” Alvarado said. “With other classes they’re taking and other commitments, they may or may not be able to hold that weight.”

“Coming into the year, we were all thinking, ‘I’m going to run for president,’ but this way we’re working as a group,” freshman representative Arna Parekh said.

Though they don’t have assigned roles, the freshman class council switches jobs every month. The freshmen representatives find many advantages to this new system.

“You can get a taste of each one, rather than being stuck with one that doesn’t suit your needs, schedule and how you want to act,” freshman representative Ananya Singh said. 

“It gives everyone equal representation and it doesn’t give someone too much power,” freshman representative Ayaan Dwivedi said. 

The way freshmen elections are run change frequently; this is only the second year where the appointment of freshman class officers has been an election. Previously, rising freshmen that wanted to be in class council interviewed with the ASB adviser and staff, who then decided officers. But starting last year, the freshmen class directly voted for their officers.

This new policy of freshmen representatives may not be permanent, but Alvarado and the class council plan to see how this year turns out.