Vista’s student government, also known as StuGov, has always been an impactful organization on campus. With that, they’re making changes for next school year to allow more students to be a part of the impact.
“The changes are super exciting because we have more leaders on campus and we have leaders that are interested in making a connection between the underrepresented organizations, students, and clubs on campus,” said Heidi Schultz, StuGov Activities Director and teacher.
The changes will begin in the 2024-2025 school year, with the addition of a second Student Government class called “Campus Outreach.”
“It’s going to have more flexibility because the positions are one term or two terms, and there’s not as much time outside of school for activities,” says Schultz.
The new class will focus on impacting the campus through lunchtime activities and the regular school-day events.
The current StuGov class, Student Government Activities, will be more traditional because it will continue to focus on student-centered activities such as rallies and homecoming. It will also still require time outside of school and two terms.
The new Campus Outreach class allows students with extracurriculars or highly academic schedules to have an impact through StuGov without extensive commitments.
“There’s more opportunity for different students to join,” said ASB Vice President Tim TenBrink, “[especially] students who might not want to run or have the opportunity for an appointed position interview.”
This change in StuGov stemmed from a “need and focus to bring in more inclusiveness to build [Vista’s] culture outside just the traditional activities for high school students,” said Schultz.
Inclusivity was a primary factor in implementing this change because the student body indicated a desire to promote smaller activities at Vista, such as International Night, Mental Health Awareness Week, and the variety of clubs our school offers.
“Campus Outreach is supposed to focus more on inclusivity, and recognizing clubs,” said TenBrink.
TenBrink advises students to “take the opportunity” when it comes to getting involved in StuGov. With the creation of Campus Outreach, this opportunity is extended to more students.
“We hope that this new class will make Vista a more inclusive and safe space for everyone to share what they want and that they feel accepted on campus,” said senior PRC Hannah Fernandez.
The addition of Campus Outreach will allow a variety of voices to be heard, creating a vibrant culture within Vista.
