Steven Hall ’21, Bella Russo ’21 and Sal Deni ’22 Elected to 2020-21 Student Council

Each spring, Upper School students elect two of their peers to lead the student government as Co-Presidents, and a third student is elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Students presented their pitches at a school meeting for what they hope to accomplish in their roles, and voting was conducted virtually while students attended school from home.

 

Steven Hall ’21 and Bella Russo ’21 were elected as Co-Presidents for the upcoming school year, and Sal Deni ’22 will be the Secretary/Treasurer.

 

Hall and Russo will lead the community during weekly school meetings. Along with Deni, they’ll lead planning for student events throughout the year and represent the student body.

 

The three Student Council members-elect shared some insight into what they hope to accomplish in the year ahead and what they enjoy most about being students at Nichols School.

 

Steven Hall: What excited me the most about joining the Student Council was the ability to make an impact. Student Council's decisions have a direct effect on student life so having a chance to change the lives of others for the better interested me wholeheartedly.

 

Bella Russo: I would have to say the students and my peers. As amazing as our school is, there is always something that can be improved and changed to make our wonderful school more enjoyable and comfortable. Listening to many students share their ideas and concerns with me, motivated me to facilitate those concerns. The Student Council is a wonderful opportunity to give the students a voice, and that's exactly what Steven, Sal, and myself want to accomplish.

 

Sal Deni: The most exciting part to me was the opportunity to help and represent my peers. I like to be able to make change in the community that I have come to love.

 

Steven Hall: I hope to better the community like everyone else, but I also hope to open its borders of understanding. Nichols being on its own campus makes many aspects of life sheltered from the rest of the world. With the world as it is now, especially in the U.S., I hope to educate the community, making it more knowledgeable and accepting than it is. I also hope to make this school year enjoyable despite the COVID-19 situation

 

Bella Russo: I hope that the students feel heard and overall have a happy year. After all of the hardship that we have had to experience over the past months, the best we can strive for is to be happy. We want the students to come to school and look forward to it and feel safe in the environment that they are in. We hope to contribute our best effort to make our students enjoy being a part of this beautiful community.

 

Sal Deni: As a rising junior, my effect on the school won’t be nearly as great as it could be compared to a senior, but I have big plans to contribute to Nichols in my upperclassmen years. Among these changes, I plan to make strides in community service among reasonable changes requested by students.

 

Steven Hall: The opportunities given; being able to take AP classes, the experience of walking an open campus, the high education given, and the ability to express yourself with sports, clubs and other extracurriculars.

 

Bella Russo: The opportunities that Nichols provides for you is outstanding. However, along with opportunity and freedom comes responsibility and accountability. Overall, Nichols has taught me so many valuable life lessons and attributes, that I don't think I would receive anywhere else. Through the various clubs, sports, classes, electives, and general opportunities that Nichols offers, you learn to enjoy every part of it.

 

Sal Deni: The most enjoyable part about being a Nichols student to me is the community and being able to help others.

 

Steven Hall: I've been with this community for 8 years now, since 5th grade, the start of the Middle School. I've seen this community grow and get through tough times. This community has been able to adapt to so much, all while fostering the development of their students. It's introduced me to friends I'll know for a long time and made me into who I am today. For that it will always be special to me.

 

Bella Russo: Nichols is special because of its people. Every single person that steps on to our campus every day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. makes our community so special. Each faculty member that puts their students first and is more than a friend than anything, every staff member that puts their heart into all that they accomplish and still has the time to support us and scream for us at school events, every student that makes working hard worth it and greets you with the biggest smile is why Nichols is an amazing school. The teachers understand and listen to you and will always be concerned with your well-being first. You will have the best conversations with the staff that are always there to support you. The students are not your competitor but your friend and they are there for you to work together to accomplish anything! The people are what make Nichols so special.

 

Sal Deni: The community at Nichols is special because it is so tight-knit; it seems open and accessible. It’s more than possible to have friends from many different grade levels through the multitude of activities and sports Nichols has to offer. This also makes it easier to realize and respond to certain problems students may have.

 

We can’t wait to see how Steven, Bella and Sal help our school community grow in the year ahead! Congratulation on your new positions in Student Council.