Get to know your ASB candidates

Emilia Diaz-Magaloni, Emily Hwang, and Bianca Al-Shamari

March 22, 2016

Palo Alto High School Associated Student Body elections for the 2016-17 school year will take place online and on the Quad from3:30 p.m. today to 3:30 p.m. Friday. The ASB Presidential and Vice Presidential debates are today during Tutorial in the Media Arts Center.

Candidate statements and speeches were released by ASB last week. Since there are currently no candidates for Junior Class Vice President and ASB Treasurer, elections for those positions will occur at a later time.

The Paly Voice spoke with this year’s student body candidates to learn more about them.

Junior Anmol Nagar, currently Associated Student Body Vice President, is running for ASB President. Nagar plans to make communication with the school board and administration a central part of her campaign. Photo by Emily Hwang.

ASB President: Junior Anmol Nagar

What she’d like to change at Paly: “We should focus a lot more on communication between the administration, the school board and the student body because I think there are a lot of policies that students don’t know about and often see the effects of, but don’t know the reasoning behind it.”

Favorite restaurant: Ephesus

Top 3 traits of a leader: Open-minded, good communicator, flexible

Favorite school subject: Communications

Favorite activity in Bay Area: Horseback riding

Favorite font: Comic Sans

Junior Brain Tracy is running for ASB President and is looking to change how phones are used on campus. Photo by Emily Hwang.

ASB President: Junior Brian Tracy

What he’d like to change at Paly: “I’d really like to see changes implemented around how phones are used in and out of the classroom because I understand that you can’t take phones away from people, but when I see kids using their phones at brunch it kind of pains me to see them not talking with their friends and building stronger relationships with other people.”

Perfect pizza: Plain cheese

Favorite school subject: Physics

Favorite activity in Bay Area: Walking and running the Dish

Favorite font: Helvetica

Top 3 traits of a friend: Trustworthy, honest, athletic

Favorite song: “Echoes” by Pink Floyd

ASB Vice President: Sophomore Noga Hurwitz

What she’d like to change at Paly: “I think that something that sets me apart as a candidate is that I had the experience of being in ASB, and I understand the limitations that are set in the class. Next year, if elected ASB Vice President, I want to push those limitations and see things at school we never possibly thought of achieving.”

Perfect pizza: “I like Pizza Studio because you can literally put anything on your pizza. I have recently gone into pineapple on pizza — it’s good.”

Favorite restaurant: Falafel Stop

Favorite school subject: “Aside from ASB, United States Government.”

Favorite activity in Bay Area: Late-night mini golf or roller skating

Top 3 traits for a friend: Funny, compassionate, kind

Theme Song: “I’m A Believer” by Smash Mouth

Junior Maya Lathi is running for ASB Vice President. Lathi, if elected, wants to increase bonds between each grade. Photo by Emily Hwang.

ASB Vice President: Junior Maya Lathi

What she’d like to change at Paly: “I want to increase the bonds between each grade. I feel like there’s a lot of tension during Spirit Week. … I’d like to see more of a spread the love type of vibe.”

Perfect pizza: Hawaiian with bacon and garlic

Favorite restaurant in Palo Alto: Gott’s Roadside

Favorite school subject: Math

Favorite font: Cambria

Top 3 traits of a friend: Positive, outgoing, compassionate

Favorite song: “Year 3000” by Jonas Brothers

Candace Wang has been on the Student Site Council for the past two years as both a secretary and a student representative. "I'm running because I've always been interested in making a change at school," Wang said. Photo by Adele Bloch. — Junior Candace Wang is running for ASB Vice President and believes we should try to include more diverse voices in ASB decisions. Photo by Adele Bloch.

ASB Vice President: Junior Candace Wang

What she’d like to change at Paly: “I think more voices need to be heard in regards to what Paly should be like. I think it is important to reach out to those people constantly, and not just once or twice. We should listen to all voices, rather than ones who are the loudest.”

Favorite restaurant in Palo Alto: Osteria

Favorite four-legged creature: “Dogs. I would have said cheetahs, if I actually met one and didn’t change my mind.”

Person she’d most like to meet: Hsi Kai Ching, a Chinese female pirate

Favorite font: Bookman’s Old Style

Theme song for life: “Wild Things” by Alessia Cara

12499606_1707739159439403_185384596_o — Junior Kevin Chen is running for ASB Secretary and says he hopes to be more involved in the school. Photo by Bianca Alshamary.

ASB Secretary: Kevin Chen

What he’d like to change at Paly: “Since this is my first year as ASB, I’ve decided to just be an observer and listen to good ideas. Maybe there will be some good ideas I agree with and I can put my two cents into the conversation. Other than that I don’t have an agenda, just going with the flow.”

Perfect pizza: “My perfect pizza would have cheese, some sausage, lemon, some cilantro, pepperoni. I like hotdogs in the crust.”

Favorite restaurant in Palo Alto: Chipotle

Favorite school subject: English

Favorite activity in Bay Area: Hiking at Mission Peak

Top 3 traits for in a friend: Honesty, compassion, responsibility

Theme song: “All Star” by Smash Mouth

About the Contributors

Emilia Diaz-Magaloni, Author

Emily Hwang, Author

Bianca Al-Shamari, Author