Junior Julia Jackson will come 2016-17 ASB President

Jaya Flanary, Editor-in-Chief
Originally published June 14, 2016

High schoolers typically employ many of the same basic campaign strategies when running for student government. They should be involved and care about the school, they should want to be friends with anyone they can and they should want to make change and be a good leader.

There’s a few more strategies, but overall many campaigns are made up of unsupported claims so a student can put the position on their college applications. If junior Julia Jackson hadn’t run unopposed, she probably would have included all of these ideas in her speech.

Where she comes from

Jackson considers herself bubbly and cheesy, but she’s also extremely genuine, which is what makes her stand out from an average candidate. It seems she could emulate the distinctive high spirits and genuine interest in inclusivity of those who have filled the position before her, such as former ASB President Lindsay Fasser.

Like Fasser, Jackson is wellknown for being involved and dedicated to the school.

After being freshman class president and sophomore class president, Jackson is currently ASB Communications Director, the position Fasser held her junior year. This position involves responsibilities such as social announcements and scheduling.

“Being class president is fun, but [as ASB Communications Director] I have tasks I have to do and have to sit on top of, whereas class president you just help out with everything else. I kind of like being in charge of things,” Jackson said.

Attending the Open House for eighth graders three years ago inspired Jackson to join ASB. After seeing the group’s skit in the gym, she thought it looked like a good way to get involved. She’s since fallen in love with it.

“I think it was just a sense of . . . being a huge part of the school. I’ve always wanted to be a leader, and not just to make important decisions but to make decisions that will affect a large group of people for the better,” Jackson said. “I just really liked the relationship aspect of ASB, you kind of have a relationship with your own class and the relationships I’ve made in ASB have been some of the best I’ve ever made.”

Where she hopes to go

Jackson has made many friends through student government, both within BHS and through leadership camp. ASB members are required to go to camp annually, and it is one of her favorite parts of the job because of the connections she’s been able to make there.

“I do think that leadership has made me a better person and has opened me up to what is important in life. Camp is one of my favorite moments,” Jackson said.

Separated from familiar faces, ten students are put in a room together to make friends and build leadership skills.

“You start out the week sitting in a room and it’s super awkward. Some of the people are peppy and want to talk to you, like I am. I try to get to know everyone, but then there’s the shy introvert leaders,” Jackson said. “I still talk to everyone I meet at camp.”

ASB tries their best to bring back the lessons and positive atmosphere from camp. “Yeah, I walk down the hall and I don’t know so many people at school, but if I got the chance to be in a room with them for five days, I would want to be best friends with everyone at this school,” Jackson said. “At camp you let all of the judgements go. It’s so cheesy and I’m a really cheesy person anyways. But you really are your best self when you’re there. So that’s really what I would like to do next year on ASB, is just be the person I am at camp.”

Additionally, she wants to focus on improving Student Senate by bringing the students into the conversation more, and adding food and music.

She also wants to start a conversation about opening gender neutral bathrooms, following Nathan Hale’s lead. Jackson, along with her other ASB members, have written a proposal for these bathrooms to be by the counseling offices and/or by the Commons. This would continue the movement that started with single color graduation gowns.

“I really think that as many steps as we can make into the future would be awesome, so why not have a gender neutral bathroom?” Jackson said. “We still have to talk to Koop about it, but it is something that I would like to see get done next year.”

This year, ASB’s theme was inclusion, and Jackson wishes to continue and further that. She believes that while the school has many amazing programs they don’t support each other enough.

Getting there

Jackson feels prepared for her new position, considering she’s had three years of experience under former presidents. She also considers herself a people person who is organized, and someone who has grown as a person through leadership experience. She wants to put in the time. She wants to dedicate herself to ASB, the school, the students.

“I want to be that person that people look up to and people respect for all [of] the time and work I put into the school. And I really do want to make it a happy place where people have fun and would like to come to school every day. I’m going to do the best I can to do that,” Jackson said.

Along with Jackson, there will be many returners to ASB next year, such as juniors Sammy Blue and Manny Xenos, incoming ASB Vice President and Senior Class President, respectively. “They’re my right-hand men. We work really well together,” Jackson said.

“I feel like the work will be evenly split up and everyone will work together, so it’s not too much of an overbearing title,” Jackson said. “The title’s not what made me do it, it’s just [that] I feel like I can do it and I want to do it.”

And that is exactly what makes Jackson stand out from those who get involved with student government solely to get into college, or to at least put it on their resume. She works hard because she cares about the school.