Class of 2023 Endorsement: Shalini Mehra
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE | SEPTEMBER 8, 2019 | NEWS
The Devil’s Advocate endorses Shalini Mehra as freshman class president for the 2019-2020 school year. Mehra has the right attitude and the perfect personality to lead her class.
During the Freshmen Class Presidential Debate on Aug. 30, 2019, she exhibited both humility and confidence, a pair of traits that are rarely found together. When asked to define leadership, Mehra insisted that good leaders don’t care about points, winning, or ego, but they want to help others rather than themselves. With this answer, she demonstrated a commitment to the modesty necessary for being an effective leader who is able to connect with the average student.
Mehra’s humble attitude toward the class presidency did not detract from her confidence, however. Throughout the debate she remained poised and collected, clearly articulating her points and calmly answering every question thrown at her.
She demonstrated her devotion to her class when she was asked what she would do if she lost the election. Mehra claimed she would work with the pep rally, citing their importance for pep rallies. She believes this is the best way she could help her class without holding office.
One of the most important aspects of running for class office is creating innovative yet achievable plans to improve student life. Mehra did just that when she proposed her plan to have freshmen casually get together on weekends. She repeatedly referenced her desire to organize these, “class hangout days,” social events intended to allow freshmen to make friends with members of their class who went to other middle schools. Uniting the class is a crucial responsibility of every freshman president, and Mehra’s hangout days address this in a particularly direct manner.
Despite her confident debate performance and determination to implement her plans, it should be noted that freshmen class presidents have traditionally struggled to follow through on their promises. Mehra’s desire to organize class hangout days does not by any means guarantee they will occur, and she will have to double down and focus if she wants to keep her promises to her class. However, the relatively modest nature of her goals does make them more achievable and increase the possibility of them becoming reality.
Mehra’s humble yet confident approach to seeking the freshman presidency is indicative of the type of leader she would be if given the opportunity by her peers. Her desire to unite her class and build a better year for her fellow students is evident. For the aforementioned reasons, we urge every freshman to vote for Shalini Mehra on Election Day.