Wesco hosted an all-day conference at MTHS for ASB (Associated Student Body) members from throughout the conference. The event included guest speaker/associate of student leadership James Layman, as well as meetings between students from different schools, and opportunities for team bonding. ASB members from other schools in the Edmonds School District showed their individual school spirit by bringing their energy, gear and positive attitudes to the conference. Students from all high school grades and ASB positions gathered in the gym of MTHS on Wednesday May 30,  to vocalize their opinions on school policies, fundraisers, student participation and other topics important to student bodies.

Freshman Audrey Wilkinson from Edmonds-Woodway High School shared her perspective on the invited guest speaker.

“I really appreciated that the speaker deviated from the normal tropes that leadership conferences can get into. In almost all of the conferences I have attended, the guest speakers focus on community involvement with the end goal ultimately being a bunch of kids in the stands at a football game decked out in face paint, and that’s not what everybody wants their high school experience to look like,” she said. “I really appreciated that he acknowledged that and wanted everybody to feel welcome and comfortable at school.”  

Throughout the day, students rotated through different stations that provided a unique perspective on ways they could improve their ASB leadership and make their school stronger. An example was an exercise in team bonding. The guest speaker James Layman led this activity by guiding students through handshakes, guessing games, and other team-related activities.

Many students found they had similar interests, ideas, and motivations for participating in ASB.

Andy Shaw, a junior at MTHS who will become next year’s Executive ASB president, explained his incentive for joining ASB.

“I’ve heard and listened to many people older than me say that high school is short and that when people get old, they don’t regret what they did, but regretted what they didn’t do. That just inspired me to make people’s high school experience memorable and as great as it could possibly be. I’m in it to make as many people’s high school experience one they can be proud of,” he said.

Freshman Juliana Aboulhosn from Cascade High School shared her perspective on how ASB impacts her future. “It has helped me to become a better person, and has helped me feel empathy, and has helped me for college,” she said.

Wilkinson, who appreciates how her voice is heard by the school and how she has a say in some decisions, said “I think ASB is a really great tool for staff to get students opinions on issues that will be affecting them. On a small scale, everyone in ASB votes on spirit days, meaning all of our spirit days have been chosen by students, for students. By doing this we can keep our spirit days relevant, relatable and convenient to our peers.

Outside of ASB, I have at times felt unheard by staff, but I attribute that to them not having the understanding of what it is like to grow up in 2018. I firmly believe our staff does the best they can to make all students feel safe, but that doesn’t come without error. The staff has a better understanding of how our school works and our specific policies than we as students do. Although we may disagree with some of the policies in place, they are doing their jobs by implementing them.”

For ASB members, involvement opens multiple opportunities for experiences, possibilities to make change, and for personal growth, but it also provides an opportunity for the school to improve.

Wilkinson mentions her ability to collaborate with students and share ideas back and forth is a benefit to her school.

“A lot of the things that our school does, we do because we see how well they work at other schools and how much the students love them.”

ASB provides a platform for students to grow as leaders and the conference inspired ASB members to work hard and with determination throughout the year to impact their schools for positive student experiences.