Patrick Walker

Sophomore Class Presidential Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I’ve had a lot of experience at this position in being the 9^th grade President this past year. I know what it takes to represent my grade and to engage in school spirit throughout each day. I also have good ideas from this year that were not applied and could be used for next year.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

I represented as the 9^th grade President and managed to set up for school wide events such a Snowball, movie night, gym night, and more.

What are your goals if elected?

I obviously want to create more school spirit ideas for my grade and the Upper School that could help us have a great time and bring us together. I also want to keep council organized and profitable for the years to come.

Demetra Yancopoulos

Sophomore Class Presidential Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I believe I would be a good candidate for this position for many reasons. I think I possess all the qualities a grade president might need in order to represent their classmates in council. The spirit and enthusiasm for school events runs in my family. Both my brothers have been great rilers for the school, and I believe I can do the same. I play three sports, so although I won’t be able to cheer for every sports team at events like the stings, I certainly will when I am not partaking in one, and I will be a part of the school spirit regardless. I am always one to go to coffee houses and plays to support my classmates throughout the year. I like to think that I am outgoing and friendly and can encourage others to join me atthese events in the coming years.

As an ambassador, throughout the year I have given many tours and hosted buddies. I truly love Hackley and am willing to show it off to these visitors, and so I’d like to make it as much of my own as I can. Being on council can help me play a bigger role in the planning of events that make Hackley the fun and welcoming place that it is.

I work hard and am committed to everything that I do. I can not only be innovative and contribute to meetings at council, but I will work hard to carry out any actions necessary to make our ideas become a reality.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

Honestly, I haven’t done many huge tasks for the Hackley community. Over the years, I have been an ambassador. I have given many tours and hosted many visitors. I have done my best to make the Hackley community all the more inviting. I have posted in our grade Facebook group to let people know about upcoming events, and I have reached out as an individual to as many of my peers as possible. I know this isn’t much, but I have not yet had an opportunity to DO much. This is why I want to be a part of council: I want to be able to make a bigger difference as a student at the school.

What are your goals if elected?

If elected, I plan to bring a bigger voice to our grade. As underclassmen, it can be intimidating as a part of council, but I have the confidence to contribute at meetings. I plan to devote my time and effort to ideas that other members bring up, and add to them my own thoughts with special events or plans that can direct these plans towards our grade and make them a better time for us as tenth graders. As a representative of our grade, I will also be willing to listen to anyone who wants to bring their own ideas to council, even if they are not a part of it. I will, without a doubt, mention all these ideas at meetings to ensure that, as a group, we create the most fun and best ways to go about things in all cases.

Being grade president is not all about me, it’s about my peers and their concerns. I will establish concrete ways for all students to contact me with their ideas. My goal is to accurately represent our grade as best I can at all times.

Lucia Yannuzzi

Sophomore Class Presidential Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

Although I am new to the Hackley community, I feel I have put my best foot forward from day one. I have enjoyed meeting and getting to know my classmates, and have developed a positive relationship with my teachers and other faculty members. I love Hackley and what it stands for, and I would feel comfortable representing my grade respectfully but firmly in situations when required. I have respect for people that both agree and disagree with me, and by considering all opinions I would find middle-ground.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

I have participated in two sports teams: soccer and lacrosse, and I am in Fem Club.

What are your goals if elected?

If elected, I will have many goals for my grade, including posting the minutes from council meetings on HOL, and creating a student council hub on HOL that all students would have access to.

Georgia Panitz

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I would be a good candidate for Grade Representative because I have experience on community council, I am dedicated, willing, and I enjoy being a member of community council. I have been a member of council as a grade representative and class president for three years. As a member of council I have been an active participant in event brainstorming, planning, and executing. I have always been willing to dedicate my time and resources in order to help plan events and further community council’s success. I have decided to run again because I truly enjoy being a member of a group of students who are equally committed and enthusiastic about giving back to their peers and to Hackley. As a member of the Hackley community I believe that it is important to give back to the community. Community Council allows me to do this by granting me a position to help plan exciting events and memorable activities that bring students and teachers together.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

While I served on community council in Middle School I tried to bring my grade officers together to spearhead event planning. As a grade representative in seventh grade with the help of Mr. Lipin I planned “Manhunt Night” on Akin Common, which drew a large percent of the grade. In eighth grade as class president I continued to plan events and activities. Mr. Lipin gave me more responsibility in planning events and mentored me in the ways of event planning. I came up with the concept and idea, and helped to plan, Field Night on Benedict Field as well as a grade wide trip to Bounce, a trampoline complex. In the spring I single-handedly planned a Movie Night, which almost the entire grade attended. As a member of community council in Middle School I was dedicated to planning memorable events for my peers.

While planning these events was hard work it was always rewarding.

As grade representative this year, in spite of my swim practices and schedule, I have tried to make as many weekly meetings as possible. I have been an active participant in meetings, and tried to help move community council forward. I assisted at concession stands and helped to set up for the Snowball.

Aside from being a member of community council, I believe I am an active member of the Hackley Community. I am a co-founder of Book Club, a club that tries to bring Hackley’s book enthusiasts together. I attend sporting events such as the fall, winter, and spring stings as well as other games that occur throughout the seasons. I am a student ambassador for Hackley’s admissions program and attended the open house in October and try to give tours regularly.

What are your goals if elected?

If elected as a Grade Representative for next year I have a lot of ideas for possible improvements that could be made to council’s structure, as well as for future events and activities that we could plan. Community council functions as a group of students from all different grades that plan events for the Upper School collectively. While this system should continues since it benefits the student body as a whole, I think council members should also be able to plan events for their own grade. While it is important to plan events for the whole Upper School, it is also important to bring your own grade together for activities and events as it helps to create an even greater sense of community among peers. The main obstacle that stands in the way of planning grade specific events is the lack of funds to do so. In the upcoming school year it would be beneficial if we could plan more fundraisers for council through selling of Hive merchandise, more holiday candy gram selling, additional concession stands, and hosting more events where we sell food for prices that allow us to make a significant profit. If we raise more money we could plan more events that could be even more successful than past ones and possibly set aside money that could be used for grade specific events. Council members who wish to plan an event for their grade would have to apply and present to council the specific details of the event they wish to plan. They would have to receive a 2/3rd majority vote from council in favor of their idea to receive the funds to plan their event. I also would hope to connect council more with the student body in informing them with our decisions, ideas, and meetings through weekly bulletins posted through the school. It would be beneficial if we could create an area online for students to submit any suggestions, ideas, or concerns that they have. Ideas I have for possible events we could plan for next year include a carnival, club fairs, manhunt night, a 9th and 10th grade “dance” in the spring. While planning additional events is always good, I think it is just as important, if not more, to continue to improve past events such as Snowball, movie nights, and gym nights. Movie nights and gym nights are most successful when there is high attendance. High attendance can be achieved by creating hype around an event by posting announcements and fun posts and videos on The Hive Facebook group, posting more dynamic posters, actively asking and getting people to talk about an event so that everyone knows the details and plans to attend, and selling the event to sound as fun and exciting as possible being sure to give all the details.

Fran Docters

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I would be a good candidate for this position because I am responsible, I work hard, and I am devoted to everything I do and care about. I enjoy taking on challenges and I approach all tasks with confidence and an urge to succeed. I am a friendly and outgoing individual who is capable of and confident while interacting with others. A position like class representative would give me the opportunity to empower my classmates and acknowledge their ideas and wishes. This would fit me because I am a strong communicator with all my peers and teachers. As I understand the hopes and desires of my grade and the school as a whole, I believe I will be a qualified candidate that can execute various interests.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

I have contributed to the Hackley Community in several different ways. Firstly, I have been a valuable member of the ambassador program. Since lower school, I’ve been hosting visitors and families looking for a comfortable and enjoyable place for a student and have not ceased to represent Hackley well, and advocate its wonderful environment. Secondly, on the athletics side, this year I played two varsity sports, soccer and basketball, and have been a critical teammate on and off the field. On the field, I worked hard and performed well each and everyday I stepped on the field. Off the field, I have been a cheerful and motivating teammate that is always trying to help others become more confident athletes. Lastly, in the past two years, I have hosted two foreign exchange students through the Round Square program, one from China and one from Argentina. Throughout their stay I assured them that Hackley was the place to be and visit, giving them the optimal experience of our culture during their time spent here in NY.

What are your goals if elected?

If elected, my goals would be, in addition to organizing fun and exciting events for the student body, to also show what a strong student council group can achieve. I am willing to spend all the necessary time working on projects that I know will inspire and entertain my peers. I am encouraged to act as a voice of all students and make sure everyone is being heard, as a I would be one of the school leaders. I will ensure that each and every student feels comfortable introducing creative ideas and I will make sure that council would be easily willing to consider and execute as many as possible. Overall, I want every student to the end of the school year to have a clear thought in their mind that the 2015-2016 school year was the most fun and enjoyable experience they’ve ever had at Hackley, and everywhere else.

Paul Lapey

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I am committed to and experienced on community council.  I have been on community council twice before, in 7th and 9th grade.  While I have been grade rep, I have come to every meeting that I did not have a game or match for a Hackley team that conflicted with the time of the meeting.  I have also helped plan and set up multiple Hackley events.  I was one of the main people who helped plan the game night to promote attendance to the play, and I helped bring some of the supplies for the event.  I also helped with the snowball, and stayed after the event to help clean the PAC, and helped run multiple concession stands. Lastly, I consider myself friends with most people in the grade, and as a result I will be able to bring ideas from a large portion of the grade to Community Council, and hopefully make as many of those ideas happen as possible.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

As mentioned above, I have helped plan and set up multiple school events.  Also, last year I was one of the people selected to go to the “Ice Cream Social” event for meeting and talking to the new Freshmen for the 2014-2015 school year, and I helped some of the kids who were debating between Hackley and other schools decide to come to Hackley by telling them about things they were interested to know about the school.  For example, there was one kid who was deciding on Hackley and Rye Country Day, and as he had mentioned that he was very interested in computers, I told him about the computer science program at Hackley.  He is currently at Hackley, and I believe my advice helped him make his decision.  Also, as it took me a while to get acquainted to the school in 6th grade, I always try to help out new kids with finding classes, and always go out of my way to be friendly toward them, and help them get used to the adjustment of being at a new school.  Lastly, I have helped to get chaperones for the Hackley events such as movie nights and the Snowball.

What are your goals if elected?

I would like to plan more of the game nights like the one that was planned to boost attendance to the play that I helped plan.  I feel that that event did not get enough publicity, and with the right games and enough publicity it could be a fairly popular event.  Also, I think that Eli Pinkus’ laser tag idea could work very well if it is set up correctly and safely, and I would really like to try to make that happen next year if Community Council cannot get it to happen this year (which looks like it will be the case).  Also, I think that some of the events that did not end up working out this year were due to a lack of planning (I am not trying to blame any specific person, as it was all of Community Council’s fault, including my own).  However, I think that a good idea this year sending confirmation emails to people such as Mr. McNaughton a few days before the event, and this can help us know that an event will happen, and if the person who is bringing something essential to the event, such as a movie screen for a movie night, realizes they cannot bring it, we will at least know a few days in advance and be able to get the news out early, instead of telling people the day of that event that it will not happen.  Lastly, I would like to schedule more gym nights.  There was only one this year, and while it was not very popular, I think that was mainly due to a lack of publicity, as was the case with the game night.  Many of the students I have talked to recently would be very interested in organized dodgeball, and when we did do dodgeball at the event towards the end of the gym night, everyone seemed to love it.

Michael Mezzacappa

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I have attended Hackley since Kindergarten, so I have a lot of experience here. I am familiar with not only the entire grade, but am friendly with many upper and under classmen. I am thoroughly involved with sports, being a part of the Football and Lacrosse Programs. I am a part of the Ambassador group here and actively attend meetings and events for incoming students. I have participated in many events and all sorts of associations on Campus, and I believe this experience can benefit community council.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

I have been a part of the Ambassador Program since middle school. I have run countless tours and panels at open houses as well. I was elected to participate in a Diversity Conference, which I attended on the weekend in new Jersey as a representative of Hackley.

What are your goals if elected?

My goal is to make the incoming freshmen class feel integrated into the High School as smoothly as possible with many fun events such as Movie Nights, Gym Nights, and sports game screenings on Campus to make their difficult transition easier.

Olivia Weinberg

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

I really like being involved in the Hackley Community and I believe a grade representative is a great way to be a part of that. I believe I would be a strong leader of the Sophomore class and that I would truly let the voices of the student body be heard.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

Although I have never held an official position in Community Council, I am an active member of the Hackley Community. In Middle School I helped organize a grade-wide trip to Bounce. I am also working on our grade-wide community service project.

What are your goals if elected?

If I am elected, I hope to plan even more events and get a higher attendance rate than has been in the past. I hope to plan a grade-wide trip that would be educational as well as a great bonding experience.

Will Zhou

Sophomore Class Representative Candidate

Why would you be a good candidate for this position?

First, I love this school. I respect the teachers, I am nice to, and socialize with other students, I work hard, and thus I spread my light to the community.

What have you done for the Hackley Community?

I am a Hackley ambassador. I participate in open houses and given many tours, having been crowned one of the “Heroes of Open House”. I have also helped several middle school Chinese classes. I presented at the Independent School Science Teachers Conference in 2014. I was also awarded in the honor roll of the AMC 8 math competition. I brought back first place solo and 6^th place partner team for Hackley at the Lower Hudson Valley Regional Science Olympiad Competition. I was part of the 8th place team in the New York Debate League and the middle school awarded me the Letter for Cross Country, and I also won the Hackley Arthur Niles King Science Award. I was awarded for high honors in the Johns Hopkins CTY program.

I represent Hackley in various orchestras as concertmaster (Intermediate All County & Greater Westchester Youth Orchestras Association), and also the Concert Festival Grand Prix Winner to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall and also a $500 summer scholarship to a music camp. I was a gold winner 2 times in the American Fine Arts Festival and to perform at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. I played 2 times at Steinway Hall as a winner in the OCA Rising Stars Concert, and performed 4 times in the Chappaqua Library. All of this brings pride to the school.

What are your goals if elected?

I hope to appease all serious requests of the student body to the best of my ability and represent the student body’s thoughts as best as possible. I will try to make the coming year as fun as possible for everyone.