Q & A: Class of 2022: Saachi Sharma
SETH ABOUHALKAH| SEPTEMBER 2, 2018 | Q&A
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (SCPDA) — The 2018 election season is here, along with an incoming group of class officer hopefuls. Be an informed voter and learn about your potential class officers.
DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: What is your big picture plan for this year, like what do you want to have accomplished by the end of the year?
SAACHI SHARMA: So, this year, one of my main goals is having more volunteering opportunities because Bright Futures can pay a huge majority of your college tuition. And it’s just great to volunteer here because you just get to spread positivity. And another thing I want to do is have morning coffee for AP and IB students or students who show excellence. I think it’s a great way to appreciate the students and the society that we live in. Another thing I want to do is hype up the pep rallies, we’ll go in with a plan. It won’t be all over the place, we will go in with a plan and there is going to be a meeting.
DA: So how would you be able to communicate with the entire freshman class?
SS: Firstly, I believe social media has become a huge platform, and it is the easiest way to reach out, so holding polls and surveys as well as speaking to everybody individually. Using the Remind app, because if someone does not have social media it would be a pretty easy communication method.
DA: What qualities do you have that make you better than the other candidates?
SS: My number one quality would be my persistence, because I really work hard and I went to this national spelling bee, so it’s crazy to think that it all started with this little classroom and simply hard work you could go up nationally and you could meet people of all different cultures and because it wasn’t really national, it was more international because you had all these different cultures, you had people from South Korea, from Italy, they all had their own viewpoints and collaborating.
(Follow up [paraphrase]: was in top 40, met with State Attorney and Mayor, was in ESPN)
DA: What are the main messages of the campaign?
SS: The main message is I’m going to be the president, I am going to be the leader, because you hear that there are going to be many candidates that make outrageous promises, and I would love to promise Chipotle every Wednesday, but that type of stuff never actually happens. So, I am going to be the leader who makes bold steps and tries things that will be done so there will be no sugarcoating and all positive and negative feedback will be appreciated.
DA: So, what experience do you have?
SS: Experience-wise, I was elected as class representative. At Darnell Cookman I was student ambassador for two years, which means I would give tours, interview incoming students and get them hyped up about the school, and direct parents to teachers. I also held fundraisers as well. We were trying to raise money for a Universal trip so everybody got 60 candy bars, and we had to sell them to pay for your ticket.
DA: So, if you lost the presidency, what would be your next step?
SS: I would definitely run again, for sure. And in order to make change, you don’t have to hold a leadership position, you need to make changes naturally as an individual. I just really want to connect with people, and I really do want everybody to have individuality and to become confident, because I’m not here only to create a stable environment, I’m here to create future leaders.
DA: So, what are some other talents that you have?
SS: Organization for sure, prioritizing things, streamlining complicated processes, management and also dividing up responsibilities. I believe if everyone gets a responsibility everyone feels like they are included in an inclusion, which causes them to perform better and be more involved and that automatically affects the student body.
