Photo by Audrey Kaye /The Choate News
Dear Choate,
Thank you again for letting me serve as your Student Council President this past year. It has been an honor and a great source of happiness. Thank you to the council members working alongside me as we ferried initiatives between the student body and faculty members — you are some of the most inspiring and dedicated people I have ever met. I stepped into the Council as a freshman with big dreams and endless energy, and I am proud to say that after my three years in office, I have given the student body all of my sincerity and dedication, as I promised I would last year.
To acknowledge our human vulnerabilities, this Council has passed proposals centered around wellness and justice included misconduct reporting, a leadership guide for students, an anonymous homework feedback form, and a wider diversity of counselors. We also re-examined Choate’s marijuana policy, revising it to be a two-strike policy; sought to add a community service day collaborating with other local schools; officially established the Council on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) alongside other community members; and restarted weekly Daily Grind donut sales. In doing so, we hoped to give back to the Choate community. Lastly, we have worked on updating student directory photos and writing thank-you cards to essential workers. This council has opened its doors to community members who want to present proposals and invited “outside experts,” in the words of Mr. John Connelly, to increase the accessibility of the Council and our community engagement. We have made steps in becoming a more engaged and accessible council, but there is still more work to be done.
Sometimes, our aspirations are not accomplished during our short time. This does not mean we should stop dreaming and willingly descend into complacency. It simply warrants a readjustment of goals according to known limitations and more adamantly holding elected leaders accountable. We must keep advocating for change, even if it requires pushing for a vision we do not yet know will succeed. That is the beauty and perturbation of working on Student Council: we must hold our faith and keep toiling for an unknown outcome because we made you all a promise. I will carry this mentality of perseverance and faith for the rest of my life. Maybe, you will, too. After all, aren’t pursuits like this, leaps of faith fueled by passion, what we live for?
Although I will no longer be passing new initiatives, I will keep working to see the implementation of my past initiatives such as Dialogues for Understanding and additional DEI workshops for international students. It is through working for you all that I have also acquired the courage to explore my place in this country as an international student and my place in the world as a young person.
Each one of you is brimming with passion and talent — I feel it in each stage performance, athletic game, concert, and conversation with friends. In the words of a prefect introduction sent out by Mr. Pat Dennehy, “Leadership isn’t about gaining power. It’s about empowering others.” I encourage you all to keep this in mind as you learn to contribute to your community in your own niches and empower those around you.
I am extremely excited about what this next Council will accomplish!
Sincerely,
Abby Lu
