With all the new changes in the school, with phone pouches and new administrators, Student Council Association (SCA) president Caroline South and Student Government Association (SGA) president Evie Price are ready to lead with the change. With differences in school policies and administrative staff from previous years, these presidents are prepared to transition smoothly into the next school year, and there are no students better fit for the job.
South has been a part of SCA since her freshman year, going from third vice president, to second, first and now president. Her responsibilities have included administrative work and participating in various traditions, such as chalking the day before the first day of school, the Pep Rally, the Thanksgiving Assembly, the SCA Olympics and more. Her goal has been to create an environment where the whole school can be involved and feel connected.
“As vice president, my job was to help the president lead,” South said. “I would manage different committees, communicate with teachers and students, and come up with ideas that we could implement. As president, my job is to assign roles to others to ensure the events go as planned. I will also be working closely with the administrators.”
The SCA and SGA, although they perform similar roles , have distinct missions for the school year. SCA organizes schoolwide events, such as spirit weeks, pep rallies, assemblies, Olympics and the annual blood drive. The SGA focuses on grade-specific activities such as fundraisers, hallway decorating and movie nights. Each grade also plans one major event a year, including Homecoming, Prom, Spring Fling or the Holiday Bazaar.
“What motivates me to be a part of the Student Council Association is the chance to represent my peers and help ensure school events run smoothly,” South said. “I love planning activities for the school and meeting new people through the work we do. I collaborate with many people including other council members, students, teachers and administrators. All of these people want to make a difference and are driven, so it is a great environment to be in.”
South is a leader inside and out and is involved throughout the Arlington community. Her other roles in SCA, before this year, have prepared her to be president. She is also the president of the Women’s Rights Initiative, which has strengthened confidence and willingness to reach out to people. In doing so, she met with the president of the National Organization of Women, which was a valuable learning experience about leading a large group of members. She is also on the Girl Advisory Board for Girl Scouts, an opportunity that will help her become more independent and decisive. The Girl Advisory Board makes phone calls and reaches out to many universities to get their projects installed in schools. She has learned valuable skills in public speaking and scheduling, both of which are essential skills for a leader.
“I want my legacy at the school to be one of communication, organization and impact,” South said. “Not only through Student Council, but also through clubs, sports, and everyday interactions, I want to be remembered as someone who was easy to talk to and share ideas with. Also, I want to leave behind organized systems that future SCA officers can use later down the road. Student Council members’ roles are not only about planning events, but also about making people feel included and welcome in our school community, and I aim to be seen as one of these officers.”
After high school, South is planning to go to college and major in environmental science and possibly minor in American Sign Language (just for fun!). Her goal is to make a positive impact on struggling ecosystems.
Evie Price is another female leader for the class of 2026. She is the SGA Class President and has held the position for all four years of her high school career. Her primary roles are to help lead and organize events and distribute tasks to the other members of SGA.
“I have been a part of the student government or student council since third grade,” Price said. “I love being involved in my school and I love planning events to try and get our school community together. I was motivated to be a member of the student government to serve our grade and to plan fun events that help others gather together.”
The seniors in SGA are already planning events for the school year. The first is senior sunrise, an event where the senior class gathers to celebrate the start of their last year of high school. They have also begun planning homecoming. Every year, the senior student government is in charge of planning homecoming. As seniors, their primary goal is to make this upcoming homecoming the best one yet and to maximize participation, ensuring that everyone feels included and excited to attend.
“I would want my legacy at the school to be that I lead events that other students found meaning in and that contributed to their experience here,” Price said.
Price has gained significant leadership experience outside of SGA as well. As a member of the Model General Assembly, she ran and was elected for the 79th Virginia Youth Governor position. This is a highly prestigious role that will continue to open doors for her as she represents the youth of the state of Virginia.
“One [other] leadership role that I had that really prepared me for leading in student government this year was being the captain of the school’s girls lacrosse team,” Price said. “I think one of the hardest parts about being a leader is knowing how to hold people accountable and how to allocate work in an appropriate way, and it can be really difficult when you are friends/teammates with the people you work with. So I would say that being one of the captains of my lacrosse team helped teach me how to be a better leader.”
After high school, Price hopes to attend college and be part of the student government wherever she goes .
“Student government is such a great way to make meaningful relationships and give back to your community, and I can’t see myself ever not being involved,” Price said.
