S2 E5 - Homecoming Festivities Ft. OHS Student Council

Homecoming is one of the biggest social events our students can experience. For those behind the scenes, it's even larger. From planning to collaboration and skill-building, OHS student council plays an integral role in making homecoming week a success. Today, we hear from the student council advisors and club presidents Nate Modjeski and Charlotte Hendrickson.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER1: Homecoming is always an exciting time, and there are many fun activities planned throughout the week. (00:08):
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Our Oregon High School staff and students have an important role in making thisweek a fun time for all.
Today, we're talking with Oregon High School Student Council advisors andstudent leaders to hear about the planning process and what's in store for

(00:28):
homecoming week.

SPEAKER2: Welcome to this episode of Inside the OSD podcast, where it's all about the kids. (00:30):
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Here is your host.
Lifelong educator, and our superintendent, Dr.
Leslie Bergstrom.

SPEAKER1: I'd like to begin with our student council advisors, and we'll start with having you introduce yourself and your multiple roles in the OSD. (00:46):
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SPEAKER3: Absolutely. So hello everyone. (00:54):
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My name is Chris Wiegman.
I teach social studies.
I'm the social studies department chair and I advise student council.

SPEAKER4: And my name is Patty Greiner. (01:02):
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I'm an English teacher here at the high school.
I am also the department chair for the department and student council advisorand I'm also the student newspaper advisor, so.

SPEAKER1: Oh my goodness. (01:14):
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Yeah. So you both are wearing multiple hats in the school community, so thankyou for also doing student council.
And this is a great opportunity though.
I know that because when I was a teacher, it's what I did too.
I know what it's like, how wonderful it is to work with student leaders.
And so tell me a little bit about what it's been like for you and why it'simportant to advise this group.

SPEAKER3: Well, it's been a whirlwind. (01:37):
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I think Miss Greiner and I came on late this summer, so it's been a whirlwind,a lot of new learning for us, but at the same time it's been
rewarding. I think working with Charlotte and Nate really since the verybeginning of the school year has has been rewarding in that way to see their
leadership, to see the skills that they have.

(02:00):
And obviously this is a group that has a lot of influence in the culture of thebuilding and the events that are happening.
And so it's important to have an adult face to that and it's exciting.

SPEAKER4: And who wouldn't want to work with these kids? (02:13):
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They're like the best.
It's -- it's yeah, it's like like Chris said, it's it's been a whirlwind.
But we were both asked this summer by the two students that are with us todayif we would be their advisors.
So yeah.

(02:34):
How do you say no? I was going to say how personal, How do you say no, really?

SPEAKER1: Hard to say no to. (02:37):
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Absolutely. So participation in co-curricular activities.
We know it's a big part of the school experience.
So what are the key skills you're hoping that your students are able to takeaway from these experiences?
And then how does that relate to our school district Portrait of a Graduate?

SPEAKER3: Yeah, absolutely. So I know that the portrait of a graduate is big on collaboration and community and culture. (02:56):
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And so I think that being part of student council allows you to develop thoseskills.
Both Nate and Charlotte are doing a lot of facilitating, a lot of navigatingwith their peers.

(03:18):
So that collaborative piece that is so essential, I think, to any job outsideof schools is being practiced.
So I think about that collaboration piece a lot within the portrait of agraduate.

SPEAKER4: Absolutely. And yeah, just navigating a large group of students. (03:29):
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I -- What is our membership?
It's -- is it 65?
It's at least 50. It's at least 65.

SPEAKER1: That's a great sized group. (03:41):
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SPEAKER4: It is. And the skill it takes to like just lead a meeting. (03:43):
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Yes we have our meetings are there during class period.
So it's like a 40, 43, 45 minute meeting.
And so far our meetings, they're homecoming focus, there's a lot we need to dobecause homecoming is next week already.

(04:04):
So they are learning how to accomplish a lot of different tasks in a very shortamount of time with a wide range of students.
So yeah, that collaboration and the and team building, they both have done agreat job of getting these meetings started and getting kids comfortable.
And so yeah, essential skills that are are going to go way beyond school, waybeyond high school.

SPEAKER3: Yeah. And I think too, just to piggyback off of that, in the portrait of a graduate piece on critical thinking and being able to navigate situations and (04:31):
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problem solve, I think just in the first few weeks of school, we've seen thattaking place amongst the students and students and staff on student council,
working together, solving problems.

SPEAKER1: Yeah, it's really exciting just to think about the idea of young people such as Charlotte and Nate navigating a meeting with (04:51):
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65 people in a purposeful way, 65 people who have different perspectives onwhat should happen, different thoughts, different experiences and how to do
that in there. I can't wait to hear both of them talk about that because thatis something that as adults, we're constantly honing our ability to do.

(05:19):
So, being able to really get your start at that when you are in your teens, Ican only imagine how great they're going to be by the
time they're really hitting their stride.
Absolutely. It's exciting.
So what are you most proud of with respect to this group?

SPEAKER3: Honestly, I think for me, I'm just proud of these two individuals. (05:38):
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But really the exec team on student council and the entire student council bodyand being able to see them juggle the multiple
roles that they have to play.
As everybody's aware, there's a lot of classes, there's a lot of work involvedwith those classes.

(06:00):
And so to add a whole nother layer to responsibility for these kids, it's just-- it's a marvel to watch them navigate that.

SPEAKER1: Well, now we've been talking about our two students, and they're sitting right here with us. (06:08):
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So I'm going to turn to them now.
And can you also start by introducing yourselves?
Go right ahead.

SPEAKER5: Yeah. I don't know if I need much of an introduction after all that. (06:20):
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Thank you for that. But my name is Nate Modjeski.
I'm a senior this year and one of the student council co-presidents.

SPEAKER6: I'm Charlotte Hendrickson and I'm also a senior and the second student council president. (06:28):
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SPEAKER1: Thank you. Did you two both run for office or did you decide to run together or how does one become a co president? (06:34):
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SPEAKER6: We were -- for the last two years, we were class representatives before that, which you run for together. (06:42):
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And going into this year, we had the opportunity to run either as president andvice president or as co-presidents, which is what we've seen a lot in the past.
Like the past, like three years, I think have all been co-presidents.

(07:03):
So we decided to run together as co-presidents.

SPEAKER1: You ran as a ticket. (07:05):
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I really -- I love that.
So as part of the student council, everybody in the student council is aleader.
But what responsibilities in general come with that role of being a studentcouncil member and then also being co-president?

SPEAKER5: Yeah. So from the perspective of student council members, I think the biggest skill anyone can have is being a team player and being flexible. (07:22):
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So each year starts off with homecoming.
There's kind of a blitz of a week where we get everything knocked out just atthe beginning.
So it's interesting to see different leaders kind of come up in that period.
And then from there we take those people and our class representatives and wepick class projects which can be anything the class decides, which again, you

(07:48):
got to be flexible in.
"Are we going to work with dogs this week and how that interacts with mentalhealth and whatever, or are we going to raise money for charity and that kind of
a thing? So I think being committed to being flexible, being a team player isthe biggest, the biggest skill that kind of comes in with these, you know, each
class of student council.

SPEAKER1: That's great. What about being a co-president? (08:06):
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SPEAKER5: I think the biggest thing that we've learned is that as much as we were excited to to have new ideas and big plans, that underpinning all of (08:08):
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that is being a resource and that the biggest thing is not necessarily havingideas, but being able to listen to ideas and turn them into action.
That's what leadership is about. Rather than bringing your own ideas to thetable.

SPEAKER1: You just dropped some wisdom there. (08:30):
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Okay. So Charlotte, what do you want to add to that?

SPEAKER6: Um, yeah. (08:35):
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I think one thing that we weren't -- I don't say we weren't prepared for, butis that everyone is looking to you for which way to go
next. And so throughout the year, the class representatives will get morecomfortable in their seat.
But like with homecoming, because we start out with this like big event rightout the gate, everybody is kind of like, "what do I do here?

(09:02):
What do I do there?" So I think with Nate and I, it's just like we mostly haveto like, lead them in the right direction so that they're able
to take the next step on their own so that we don't have to just like, "okay,here's this, then this, then this." You're

SPEAKER1: building leadership. (09:19):
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SPEAKER6: Yeah. To get them prepared for like what Nate was saying about the class project. (09:20):
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So they are able to take that on and mostly do it themselves.
That's communication.
Communication is key.

SPEAKER1: So homecoming and starting off with this much this big of an event actually serves student council in the long run because you're helping people build their (09:33):
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skills to take on projects of a greater magnitude independently.
Wow. All right.
So we know homecoming is a really exciting time.
There's a ton going on.
Can you give anyone listening a rundown of what's planned for homecoming week?

SPEAKER6: So. Well, of course, I don't think people really notice how much work goes into planning the whole week. (09:59):
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So like the dress up days and the dance theme that took probably almost anentire meeting two weeks ago.
And then we do getting closer to the -- to Friday, our committees plannedPowder buff, which is a

(10:26):
boys volleyball tournament that the championship is played during the peprally.
They also have to plan the decorations for the dance and the pep rally itself,different class games
and such and --

SPEAKER5: Yeah. So I think there's the big ticket items and then there are the million, the decorations for the dance and the the posters you see on the wall, (10:44):
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everything that that happens.
There isn't just kind of copy pasted from years in the past.
It's redone every year.
It's fresh every year.
And I think I owe it -- we owe it all the way to every single member of studentcouncil for putting that together.
Everything is done with intention and with a bigger plan in mind.

(11:06):
So from, you know, the colors of the posters and the banners and stuff you seein the hallway to class competitions, it all comes down to people making those
decisions and doing the work behind it.
So it's really broad what we do.
But that's kind of what's most rewarding is to see it all come together.

SPEAKER1: So what are the dress up themes? (11:21):
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Just that people have them in their heads, do you know?

SPEAKER5: I think some of the big the most exciting ones we've got middle school Monday. (11:26):
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Okay. Of course, Friday will be the classic orange and black.
Yes. We've got barbecue and soccer parents.
And then this year is a special edition.
We did a Barbie and Ken Day, which will be kind of fun.

SPEAKER6: Yeah. So our senior days are America Monday, Toga Tuesday, Barbie Wednesday, Adam Sandler Thursday. (11:40):
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And then, of course, normal orange and black for Friday and then for everyoneelse's themes.
It's middle school Monday, Twin Tuesday.

SPEAKER4: Teacher student (12:00):
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SPEAKER6: swap Wednesday and barbecue and soccer parent Thursday. (12:01):
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And then of course, Orange and Black Friday.

SPEAKER1: I think I'm going to have to stop at the high school every day next week to see how this is playing out. (12:09):
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This will be really fun.
So listening to the two of you talk, it seems to me there are a lot of specificskills that are coming from your experience in student council and homecoming
that you're going to take into your future.
You've heard your teachers talking about that, but what do you think are theskills that you're really going to take forward from this year as a student

(12:37):
council president?

SPEAKER5: I think the biggest thing it comes back to leadership, not only being on the exec team, but also working with peers and leadership. (12:39):
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That's been, I think, one of the biggest struggles and not necessarilychallenges, but the most productive sessions are when I'm working with our
secretary, treasurer and Charlotte to kind of make those tough decisions andorganize ideas in a meaningful way.

(13:03):
I think in the past it's been easy to to kind of just take take a path and runit, run down it.
But taking time to hear other people out and give other people space and usethat space, use their ideas to contribute to a greater goal, I think has been
really, really helpful.
Yes.

SPEAKER6: And yeah, just communication, like I said before, and just knowing that you are able to lean on people, I feel (13:20):
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like like a lot of times it's just like you cannot do some of this stuffyourself.
There's too much going on.
So learning and getting used to like trusting people and trusting them to liketake some of your like load is really, really helpful

(13:46):
and it'll be something that I take with me.
Definitely.

SPEAKER1: So what would any of you say really to students, families and community and what they can do to make homecoming festivities a big success? (13:50):
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SPEAKER3: Well, I think one thing that would be worth mentioning on this platform is from an advisor perspective. (14:00):
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And then as a student council body, we're really trying to expand thecommunity, sort of reach specifically with the food drive.
And so we've expanded the opportunities to bring in food Monday throughThursday.
You'll bring that into your students connections class, nonperishable items.

(14:25):
So we're really trying to make a bigger and better impact on the community.
And then the last thing I would stress is just get involved and show yourschool spirit.

SPEAKER5: Yeah, there's so much that happens this week, but we only get four of these. (14:37):
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So pay attention and and contribute.
Be a part of it because you only get to do it so many times.

SPEAKER1: Thank you for joining us today. (14:46):
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Homecoming week is October 9th through the 13th.
Our community is invited to join us for the parade, which begins at 1:30 p.m.
on Friday, October 13th, and the homecoming game that is that evening againstSun Prairie West with a kickoff at 7 p.m..

(15:08):
Remember that you can find links to all episodes of Inside the OSD and submittopic ideas on our website at
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(15:29):
We'll see you next time on Inside the OSD, where it's all about the kids.