As the school year ends, the students of Bernards High School must replace the old members of Student Council with the new. The student council elections took place on Friday April 16th. Freddy Ludtke, Amar Bindra, and Mike Gillis ran for class president, each giving diverse speeches to their fellow peers over the loudspeaker. As a junior, Freddy Ludtke is a member of this year’s student council as Vice President. In addition, he plays soccer for Bernards and STA, a club team. Freddy is also a Peer leader board member and a member of Harvard model congress. He volunteers his time at summer recreation camp in Peapack-Gladstone and BHS veterans Outreach Club.
Freddy worked alongside Elee Khademi on student council who says, “he has an incredibly positive attitude but a work ethic that matches it”. Amar Bindra is a winter and spring varsity track athlete, section leader in the marching band, and a member of the concert, jazz, and honor bands. Amar is also the co-founder of the Technology Honors society and robotics club and a member of the Veterans outreach organization and the minnow tank. He recently got accepted to be a peer leader and a member of the National Honors Society. It was a close race ending in a tie for the first time in Bernards’ History. Freddy Ludtke and Amar Bindra had the most votes. As a result, Elections were extended for another week.
Amar says, “I knew going into the election it was going to be quite the challenge, so I prepared likewise. I didn’t have prior experience as a Student Council Officer, though I had the experience of running for one. With a great committee and campaign staff, we prepared some great campaign posters to get the Student Body’s attention and drafted some potential future plans for BHS. Even with the second election, I hoped my ideas of change impacted my peers”.The decision was announced on Friday April 23, once again, a close call. After the ballots were counted over multiple times, the president of the 2016-17 school year was announced. Amar Bindra was named the new school president.
Amar said he, “would love to bring variety to school events, so that everyone can enjoy them. And if you have a club in mind, run it by me so we can make sure your ideas can reach its full potential. Remember, I am always open for fresh ideas and working one on one, so don’t be afraid to call my name”.
The members 2015-16 school year’s student council are Dina Rosin as President, Freddy Ludtke as Vice President, Sophia Campbell as corresponding secretary, Elee Khademi as treasurer, and Kiera Cullen as recording secretary. This year’s student council had a successful year including the Class Clash and the first annual Semi Formal Dance. Dina Rosin hands over her position to Amar and says, “ that the incoming student council officers are all very smart and capable, and I hope to see them continue the progress made this year while also branching out to start new things”.
Replacing this year’s student council is Amar Bindra as president, Madison Paulik as Vice President, Jake Epstein as treasurer, Bea Thompson as corresponding secretary, and Danielle Vandenherik as recording secretary. Madison Paulik, a junior, says she is, “excited to work with the new officers this upcoming year”.
