Big changes are underway in Trevian politics as new Student Alliance leaders have been elected for the upcoming school year.

This new wave of student representation will be led President Max Rosen and Vice-President Ethan VanGosen, along with Treasurer Janice King and Secretary Mia Rhee.

Student Alliance is the self-proclaimed “heart” of New Trier’s 130 student organizations and works to bridge the gap between administration and the student experience by supporting and allocating funds to each one of these clubs.

The liaison group takes on the task of communicating the voice of a massive student body, which is why the election of officials as well as student voting turnout are crucial, according to Student Alliance sponsor, Stacy Kolack.

“Through their work, Girls’ Club, Tri-ship and Student Alliance serve other clubs and the student body at large, so every year we rely on responsible, reliable and passionate students to lead these groups,” stated Kolack. “As the voting electorate, the student voice is instrumental to this process, so it is wonderful to see that New Trier students take this responsibility seriously.”

Following the Mar. 7th assembly, poll statistics projected an encouraging trend, with 76.5% of students voting overall–a 19.5% increase from the 2016 elections.
Rosen, along with officers and the SA Board at large, look forward to matching students’ enthusiasm by continuing to establish platforms for feedback.

“To make sure we hear every student’s voice, I look forward to having Student Alliance explore every avenue possible to expand our student feedback system,” said Rosen. “We want to broaden our understanding of every Trevian’s experience, looking at both what students have enjoyed and also what they feel can be improved.”

Rosen stressed that he plans on promoting this openness by exploring the potential expansion of the Alliance Constituent Board, which would consist of monthly meetings where student representatives and the alliance board meet.

“Our current president has established a great relationship with the New Trier News, which has enabled us to inform students on a regular basis as to what Student Alliance is working on through the Student Alliance column, allowing us to be transparent,” explained Rosen.

While Student Alliance initiatives often take a significant amount of time to become reality–as administration and board members must agree–Rosen has already implemented improvements throughout his campaign such as adding menu items to the “Bean Team” in the cafeteria.

Between students and teachers, the overwhelming sentiment is excitement for what the board will bring to the table going forward, noted Kolack.

“Leadership can take many forms, and with or without a title, all of these students will go on to do great things in their service to our school,” said Kolcack.