In early March, the spirit of democracy was alive and well at GOA’s annual High School Student Council Elections.
After a long campaign and election season, the 2026 high school Student Council winners were announced to the student body.
Layla Sharret ‘27 was elected for the prestigious position of Student Council President, where she will work closely with students and upper faculty to manage Student Council, ensure every student has their voice heard and propose exciting changes to the high school.
Violet Berman ‘27 was elected as Student Council Vice President. Through her role, she will work with Sharret to help the student council run smoothly, ensure every deadline is met and that everyone is working together cohesively.
Salomon Messulan ‘28 was elected as Director of Communications, where he will manage information shared with the student body through newsletters and emails, keeping everyone updated on Student Council decisions and news.
Emily Himber ‘28 was elected as Director of Programming, allowing her to plan high school activities and events using her creativity and management skills. Through her position, she will bring a new perspective to GOA events, creating fun and excitement for the whole student body.
Tamar Ashkenazi ‘29, Anabelle Silva ‘28 and Seth Perlstein ‘27 were elected to be their respective Grade Representatives. Ashkenazi, Silva and Perlstein will use their positions on the student council to represent their peers: advocating for their wants and needs while voicing the students’ general opinions.
Though the winners made their victories look effortless with their calm demeanors and well-spoken speeches, it was not without much dedication and preparation that they won the elections.
Himber said, “A lot of work went into my preparation for the election. Coming up with a creative video and a well-written speech were essential because a big part of the election is showing everyone who you are and what you have to offer. Overall, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication, but in the end, it was so much fun because I got to show who I was to the school and help make a difference in the future.”
After all of their hard work, being elected was both satisfying and validating for every student who won.
Ashkenazi said, “The excitement of winning is really great, but for me, it was never solely about winning. My main goal is to make a positive impact in the school, which, now that I’m in the student council, I can finally do.”
However, being in the student council requires more than just winning an election. After being elected, many students have promising goals for the future of GOA.
Sharret said, “I have many plans for the students as the president of the Student Council. My biggest goal is for all students to want to come to school every day. By building the GOA community around what they need and want, hopefully, we can make that dream of mine come true.”
