Issue link: https://trevordayschool.uberflip.com/i/1518706
of backgrounds. This diversity is our greatest strength: Many of the issues the Student Council has spearheaded over the years have emerged from the representatives' own experiences, whether they were girls who pushed for feminine hygiene products to be available in the bathrooms, athletes who called for the return of granola bars to the cafeteria, or committed environmentalists who addressed the Board of Trustees about the cross-disciplinary potential of an environmental studies concentration. New voices mean new ideas: One of our most recent additions to the Student Council is a 9th grader who ran on a platform of boosting Trevor's observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and the Council is now working to turn that promise into action. Inclusion and equality are the hallmarks of the Council's day-to- day work: Without a president or designated leader, Trevor's Student Council is truly an assembly of equals. Each meeting begins with an agenda—not handed down by the administration but set by the students. Every student—whether a newly elected 9th grader or a long- serving senior— has an equal voice in determining the Council's priorities and voting on decisions. Students self-sort into committees to pursue the projects that matter most to them, seeking opportunities where their expertise can make the biggest difference. This year's signature issue for the Student Council has been the prom. In response to a groundswell of student opinion, the councilors lobbied the administration to move the prom off campus and worked to find options within our budget so that they could make this request a reality. Success! This spring, Trevor will host its first off-campus prom in almost a decade, and the Council hopes to make this a new tradition. As Trevor has continued to grow and evolve, so has the Student Council. Our current projects are focused on making the Council even more responsive and inclusive. We've created a digital suggestion box with a QR code that students can use to share ideas, suggestions (and, inevitably, complaints!) with their representatives. We're also working on a complex challenge, looking for ways to ensure that the Council represents the full range of Trevor students' diverse identities. This last case is a perfect example of how the Student Council embodies Trevor's values: At Trevor, we don't tell our students how to think, and we don't solve their problems for them. So, when the Student Council approached the administration about ways to ensure diverse representation, Dr. Graves challenged them to do the research: How has this problem been addressed by other representative bodies? What are some of the options, and the pros and cons of each one? This work is ongoing, and by asking the students to find the answers, we can be confident that the solutions they devise will be authentically their own. n A Council Member's Perspective The Student Council form was due at noon, and I was still debating whether to submit it at 11:55 am. The primary reason I wanted to join the Student Council was to give back to the Trevor community. I came to Trevor during the pandemic; even through Zoom, I was welcomed into the community. I wanted to run for Student Council to give a voice to those who had welcomed me with open arms but sometimes felt voiceless. But I was not ready for how much I would learn about myself by being on the Council. At every meeting, I present any ideas from students who have approached me. I try to advocate for as many people as I can. It was only through this weekly advocacy that I realized that I didn't sufficiently advocate for myself. I then translated the skills of empathy, negotiating, and leadership that I learned from Student Council to not only give back to the Trevor community but also to myself. In addition, I was able to learn about my leadership style in a safe environment. I am so glad I pressed that submit button. —Haerat A. '24 TREVOR DAY SCHOOL / 27 INSIDE TREVOR TREVOR TRANSLATES FEATURE AR TICLES ALUMNI