Ninth grade
Christiana Guan — “I’m GUANa make a better future!” 
Why are you running?
“I want to participate more in the class.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I fundraise and volunteer a lot with clubs. I’m organized and good at keeping track of things. I’m also good with spreadsheets.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“I want to use restaurants like Chipotle to help us fundraise. Like the Sophomores are using soccer games, we can host other group activities. Maybe we can go on a trip.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I want to raise a lot of money for the class.”
Michael Gutierrez
Why are you running?
“I am running because I hope to help out our class. I’d like to make a difference. I think this position is a very important because we have to raise a lot of money before we graduate.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I’ll admit that I don’t have that much experience dealing with money. I’m advanced in math, and I think I’m pretty knowledgeable in this subject.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“I have some ideas for fundraisers. One idea is a Class of 2020 Meme Competition. People would submit their own original memes that would be voted on by the school, and the winner would get a prize. I think that would be popular with everybody and pretty successful.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I hope to have a lot of successful fundraisers. I’d like to bring us at least a third away to our goal.”
Elizabeth Kalmanovich
Why are you running?
“I enjoy helping out and volunteering.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I have a lot of previous experience. I was in student council for three years, and this year I was Principal’s Council.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“I want our class to have enough money to do what we’re supposed to do because we’re behind.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I want to bring different opportunities to raise money.”
Dev Patel
Why are you running?
“I want a space in the class office because I thought it would be a way to test my responsibilities, to unlock my potential, to see what I can do.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I’m really precise when it come to math and giving good calculations. I would be very committed to this position.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“Coming up with alternate way to make money and making them more efficient.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“Nothing in particular, but it will come across when the issue appears.”
Tenth grade
Jade Goyette — “Putting the fun in fundraising”
Why are you running?
“When I was in fourth grade, I ran for treasurer at my elementary school, and I really enjoyed the experience. I also feel that our class needs a treasurer, not to say that we didn’t have one before but that will really dedicate their time to fundraising for our graduation.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I will bring a certain spice to the council.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“I have a couple ideas that I think will work really well and get a very good response from our class. I’m sure all of you are familiar with the rose sale that the French Society puts on every year. I want to do something similar where we let people sign notes and pay us money to give chocolate kisses and notes to our departing seniors, as sort of a little “I love you.” I also want to do a car wash as a summer sets up and everything else.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“Obviously the $15,000 goal that we have set next year. It is a massive goal; however, I do think we can accomplish it, and I also feel we need to make it as painless as possible because I know this year we had what seemed like a million fundraisers that we just couldn’t keep up with. I want to make it more manageable.”
Michael Waite — “I like Mike for treasurer”
Why are you running?
“I want to help out my class in the best way I really knew how to. I’m good with numbers, so I figured this was really a way to help out and really cause some change. Our class is doing really well as is, but I think we can do even better.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I tend to work hard, go out there and be bold. I know a lot of the other candidates running are good people and are very qualified for the job, but I think I’ve just got that drive that’s going to push me above and beyond.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“Telling you would ruin the surprise.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“If I win, I hope to continue our trend of collecting the money we need for Cobalt, graduation and those things. Also, just make our fundraisers fun, as they’ve been, but also just more organized. The previous administrations have done a pretty good job, but some of the fundraisers have been understandably understaffed and that’s just been unfortunate. It’s just circumstantial but it’s just how it had to be, and I think it can be even better and everyone can have a fun time.”
Eva Bayer
Why are you running?
“I think I could use my organization and work ethic to help our class raise money for graduation and be more involved.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I think that I am very dedicated, and I really care about our class. I always try to do my best in everything, and this wouldn’t be an exception to that.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“I mostly just want to help our class become more involved not only just in the events but also in coming up with ideas too, so the class office is not just limited to the people in it, but it’s really something the whole class can be involved in.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I just hope to meet and exceed our monetary goals in the coming year.”
Gia Douglass — “Count on someone who can count”
Why are you running?
“I really want us to have a great Cobalt and be really successful in fundraising. I have experience in fundraising and budgeting, so I felt like I could do a really good job.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I feel like I have a lot of experience and a lot of insight. I’ve heard from past years that you really need to work with the Cobalt committee and budget really nicely because Cobalt spends a lot of your money, but you still want to have money left over for Van Wezel and your graduation, so I would love to do budgeting with that. I also have a lot experience with fundraisers and budgeting because I work with Oscar Scherer. I’m a board member, and we’ve raised over $100,000 this year so far.”
What new ideas will you bring to the table?
“Definitely new fundraising ideas because I want to ask people what we can do as a whole grade together, instead of just one clique or group of people, because that’s really how we make the most money and how we get the most cooperation out of everybody. So, I definitely would like to do new fundraisers.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I really want us to have a great Cobalt, and I want us to have enough money left over senior year for graduation and everything else. I just want everything to go seamlessly.”
Eleventh grade
Kelley Vinh — “Vinh for the Win”
Why are you running?
“I have worked as treasurer before, so I know the rundown of things, and I would like to help out the class with my previous experience.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I have more experience, and I know more about this school and my class.”
What new ideas will bring to the table?
“I’m interested in expanding fundraising opportunities so that we can best support the class.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I want to raise more money so that we can have a great graduation.”
Justin Wang — “The best Wang for your buck”
Why are you running?
“I thought it would be a good way to get to know the class well. I want to serve the class and broaden my perspective.”
What sets you apart from other candidates?
“I’m new this year, so I can bring a fresh perspective.”
What new ideas will bring to the table?
“I want to bring the ideas of my old school in Illinois to Pine View and integrate the two.”
What do you hope to accomplish if you win?
“I hope to do the best job for our class, and to raise as much money as possible.”
Read about the students running for class office and learn more about them. Elections will be Friday, April 7, so keep visiting for more updates on the rest of the candidates from grades nine to 11.
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Story by ELIZABETH HOPKINS, RILEY BOARD, and MELISSA SANTOYO