Local Elementary Schools Start Joint Student Council

Last summer, Jeremy Santana, then a soon-to-be fifth grader at Aspire Firestone Academy, was grounded by his mother.

He does not exactly remember why he was punished, and neither does his mother, Evette Santana. But Jeremy was frustrated about something, and after talking with his mom, he decided he wanted to start a student council for his school. 

“My mom told me to take my act up,” said Jeremy.  “Eventually, it led to writing a proposal for a student council.” 

Jeremy’s proposal was reviewed by Marcie Jones, the principal of Aspire Firestone Academy, and she approved it. Stefan Bean, principal of Aspire Gateway Academy, which shares the same campus as Aspire Firestone Academy, also approved the idea. The charter schools are operated individually, but share extra curricular activities, as well as a college-centric curriculum.

Collaboration is a practice that both schools want to foster when creating the student council. As a result, the council operates with an elected council from each school, but functions as one body for both academies.

“They need to see a model where they can collaborate and work together,” said Bean. “This is another good way for two different schools to collaborate.” 

Elections for the student council were held in November at each school, and Jeremy was elected president of Aspire Firestone Academy in a tight race. His mother was very excited and believes the student council experience will be valuable for her son.

“It’s great to start to building their leadership skills in elementary school,” said Evette Santana. “He already knows he wants to go to Stanford.” 

Students at the Aspire schools are taught the importance of college at a very early stage. Extra-curricular activities are a must for college admissions, and the school wants its students to start young. 

“In order to get students into college they need resume builders and need to have experiences in being persuasive,” said Jones. “We wanted to honor Jeremy’s persuasive proposal.”

Bean also wanted a student council that could build leadership experience among its participants.

“The whole philosophy of education is just to build upon the knowledge you learn every year,” said Bean, "to gain that experience and carry that with you each step towards college and beyond.” 

Teachers who administer the student council agree that having children learn leadership skills at a young age is important. Kelsey Fisher, a kindergarten teacher for Aspire Gateway Academy and adviser to the student council, recalls the value in participating in her own experience. 

“I was a third-grade representative at my school,” said Fisher, who also served as president of her high school’s student council. “It followed through my whole entire life [as I] was always running for things successfully and unsuccessfully.”

Such confidence is already evident in Edward Castro, a fifth-grader and president of the student council elected by Aspire Gateway Academy. 

“There are lots of things I am learning by being president,” said Edward.  “I will be prepared for middle and high-school.”

The student council is elected separately by each school and is made up of students from third to fifth grade. Positions include president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and representative from the third grade. Second-graders are allowed to vote but cannot run for positions.

The grade restrictions allow the most mature students to serve, but also ensures that each elected student receives leadership experience that is worthwhile.

“We want to make sure that each student elected had something to do,” said Javier Hernandez, a fifth-grade teacher at Aspire Firestone Academy and adviser to the student council. “That way when they get older they can expand toward the greater community.” 

The joint council met for the first time January and has already coordinated a two-week awareness campaign against bullying and name-calling. It is also in discussions with advisers to organize a walk against cancer.