Paly students now have three weeks under their belts, and surely everyone would enjoy a change from the usual: the college sweat, sports competing with homework competing with friends?
It would take nothing short of a miracle to change these aspects of our lives. But we can, however, expect some changes at Paly. With the new lineup of All Student Body officers and plans already underway, perhaps this year will bring a bit of…pizzazz. At least that’s what Charles Vickery, the new ASB pesident, is hoping.

If this year will be anything like the past few, then we can expect significant achievement from our the student government. Two years ago, under the leadership of ASB president Lakshmi Eassey, a task force worked to reduce student stress. Many may still remember lunchtime yoga being advertised on In Focus. Last year Amy Rogg’s goal for the year was to make Paly more fun. She initiated Spring Fling as part of that plan, as well as Friday activities.

This year Vickery began promoting his plan to establish "community through leadership" with the Sept. 9 family dinner. "Student council is forming a tight bond to foundation ourselves so that we can affect the student body and school in a positive and influential way," Vickery said. "After creating this bond, I plan to move the direction of student council towards encouraging other students to feel comradely towards each other and feel proud of the school they go to."

Vickery isn’t the only ASB officer. The group consists of a president, a vice-president, a secreatary, a school board representative, a spirit commisioner, a representative and a historian. Also, representing each grade are a president and representatives.

Students have a rich history of executive achievement at Paly. "In my time, some of the accomplishments I’ve seen the ASB officers achieve include participation in WASC [Paly’s accreditation process], speaking to the school board about a variety of issues from food to athletics, serving on the principal selection committee…" student activities director Joann Vaars said. "Also, ASB officers have coordinated staff appreciation activities like last spring’s staff appreciation week with the parents and last fall’s custodian appreciation week."

Some students have less confidence in student government than Vaars does. "What does that mean — ‘community through leadership’?" senior Holly Wang said.

Sophomore Nick Nordlinger agrees, "It’s really decieving to make it seem like we [the students] have a voice, because we really have no power at all."

The freshmen class voted for their officers on the first of September, electing class president Lowell Reade. "We’re still in planning stages," Vaars said. "We don’t want to start planning the year without the freshmen." Now that the ASB team is together, the first items on the agenda will be Spirit Week, Club Day and Camp Anytown.

"Before I was a student rep., I didn’t think that they [the student government] did anything or knew anything," said senior representative Max Roth. "But we really do get a lot of things done."