Advisory Makes First General Assemblies Possible Student Leaders Bring Diverse Voices Through Assemblies

time. After one school year of General Assemblies, two student representatives per advisory continue to gather once a month in the cafeteria to “have an impact,” according to Mr. Wallace.

SGA Secretary, sophomore Liz Cho, says that the SGA board needs outside influence when leading school wide decision making. “We become close-minded at some point when we’re just talking with each other,” said Liz. She says that the General Assemblies have exposed the SGA executive board to ideas they “never thought about.”

Wilde Lake administrators and the community as a whole have provided this space for students to speak their opinions and listen to student voices, says SGA President Sajana Vigna-Mclaughlin. “Wilde Lake allows you to hold your strong opinions, and accepts them, which is important instead of being shut down immediately,” she said.

She says that the SGA has started to see participation in student democracy from more students and not just from student leaders. “The demographics [of those involved in student voice] are changing, and they should be changing,” she said.

BY ARIELLE LEVINE News Editor

In 2018 when Mr. Wallace first came to Wilde Lake and took on the role of SGA sponsor, he says he wanted to see the whole student body represented in student democracy by making the expression of the student voice “accessible” to all students. With the implementation advisory, General Assemblies were able to take place, creating a governing body where students are able to voice their opinions during school rather than using after-school hours at SGA meetings. This, according to Mr. Wallace, has provided the SGA with more feedback “than ever before.”

Mr. Wallace and the SGA were able to implement the General Assembly after the introduction of advisory to the bell schedule. With this new addition, students representing each Advisory could meet during Advisory

“Student democracy is for the underdogs to be heard,” SGA Vice President Gabby Oshadiya said. She says that ensuring that all student voices are heard is a reflection of true student democracy.

At the county level, as the Student Member of the Board, Abisola Ayoola has to establish that all HCPSS student voices are heard. “The importance of student government is to ensure that student voices are always at the table when decisions are being made,” she said.