Our leadership team is always hard at work getting events planned and keeping Barlow connected. Due to Covid though, the 2020-2021 school year wasn’t able to have as many activities and events as before, but next school year, there is lots of hope on the horizon to return back to in person learning. To help make sure next year is the best it can be, our 2021-2022 ASB leadership team is already hard at work to prepare for next school year. Alina Estrada, Aubrey Corcoran, Ash Webber, Elaina Oommen, Hudson Pate, Jaden Rai, Maia Jade Muniz, Evan White, Jessie Matthews, Anveigh Carter, and Danny Sanchez, all have many ideas and goals in mind to help make sure next school year is the best it can be. 

Alina Estrada:

For elected ASB President Alina Estrada, being part of leadership at Barlow has been a goal for her for a long time, “Initially, when I was in elementary school I witnessed my eldest sister and her role as Vice President of SBHS. Amazed by all the behind the scenes planning of Homecoming floats, Friday Night Lights, and Snowball, I knew at a young age that I wanted to be a member of the leadership team.” Estrada has been working toward this goal by taking as many leadership opportunities as she can get including freshman class council and sophomore class president. 

With next year full of many new opportunities, Estrada has many goals in mind, “I am hoping to lead our student council team towards reinstating all the events that we are accustomed to experiencing while in high school. I am hoping things like Springfest and our formal dances will be allowed, as well as looking forward to brainstorming new activities and events that include and represent everyone.”

Estrada would like to end off by saying “Being elected as ASB President for 2021-2022 is an honor that ensures my role in helping make the halls of Barlow the most BLUE AND GOLD they can be. Go Bruins!” 

Ash Webber:

Ash Webber has been elected for Site Council. Next year, Webber plans to bridge the gap between students and administration, “I think it will be important to be the voice for students that have traditionally felt underrepresented. This year, I hope to establish a clear line of communication between students and the Site Council so that student needs are prioritized.” Running for site council was important to Webber because, “the needs of the student body matter and I knew I could be a strong leader and represent Barlow well.” 

For Webber, campaigning in a virtual environment was a little difficult. It was a bit of a challenge campaigning in a virtual environment. “I really feel that it is harder to connect with my peers when you cannot talk face to face.  Overall, it was fun to find new ways to digitally campaign.” Webber found it the most difficult to get participation and votes from students, “The hardest part of elections was getting people to participate and vote, which I understand. I think we all wish things were different this year, and I am optimistic that they will be.

Elaina Oommen:

Elaina Oommen has been elected as Site Council and has many goals in mind for next year. For Oommen, giving the student body a voice is one of her biggest goals, “I want to ensure that communication between the student body and the Site Council is as effective as possible. I hope to bring up any ideas, concerns, or feedback the student body has to the Site Council. Most of all, I want to work towards improving our school alongside the Site Council and the rest of the leadership team.” 

Staying connected while almost everything is virtual can be difficult, that’s why next year Oommen is excited to get back in school and start making more connections with her peers, “Doing leadership in person allows you to talk to the students you are serving in a much more meaningful and personal way, and getting to see the results of our work in leadership unfold in person is incredibly rewarding. I can’t wait to experience that again next school year.” 

Last year Oommen was on the freshman class council and really enjoyed it and decided she wanted to continue working in leadership, “Having a higher level of involvement at Barlow was great, and something I wanted to keep on doing. I wanted to better represent the needs of the student body, and I felt that I could do that best as an ASB Site Council Representative” 

Aubrey Corcoran:

Next year, elected ASB Recording Secretary, Aubrey Corcoran is excited to be getting back to in person learning and seeing her peers as well as getting the real highschool experience. Her goals as ASB recording secretary are to, “make sure we are organized and prepared for events and decisions.” Corcoran found campaigning this year to be easier, “campaigning online was amazing and easy to reach out and everyone was so kind and supportive.”

Maia Jade Muniz:

ASB elected Historian, Maia Jade Muniz, is excited to be filling the new position as ASB Historian, “Due to Historian being a new ASB position at Barlow, I am hoping to not only exceed my duties, but also create a solid foundation and system for the Historian’s in the years to come,” says Muniz. Muniz interprets her role as Historian as, “capturing and preserving memories for us, present, and future students to have the opportunity to look back on.” The job is very photo and video based which also interests Muniz outside of school. Next year, Muniz is hoping that we can return to school in a safe and healthy way, “If we are able to, I am looking forward to the social aspect that has been lost within online learning. I enjoy the connections in-person school allows, big or small.”

Hudson Pate:

Hudson Pate is this year’s ASB elected vice president. As ASB Vice President, Pate plans to create a new event for students, “My main goal for next year is to create a new event to engage all students and give everyone something new to look forward to in the fall.” Pate is also very excited about getting back next year and hopes to get more students engaged in event and activities, “I’m looking forward to the opportunities of next year with the new building and I am hoping that the excitement of all students will help me and the rest of the leadership class get all students involved in new activities and events.”

Jaden Rai:

Jaden Rai is next year’s ASB treasurer. Rai’s goal for next year is to, “influence as many people as possible to work hard and have fun doing it.” Rai ran for ASB treasurer because he wants to, “represent people that aren’t always represented.”

Next year is full of so much potential and Barlow will have such an amazing ASB team working to make it the best it can be. We can’t wait to see what amazing and fun events our ASB leadership team plans for next year. Evan White, Jessie Matthews, Anveigh Carter, and Danny Sanchez were not available for interview.