Student Government - Class Officer Elections Information

Class Officer Elections: April 14-16

Calling ALL Colts!! Calling ALL Colts!! Calling ALL Colts!!

Join the Cottonwood Student Government Family as a Class Officer! Class Officer positions match the Student Body Officer (SBO) positions. There are 8 Class Officers per grade: President, Vice President, Historian, Communications, Artist, Stampede Officer, Dance Officer and Secretary. The Secretary positions will be determined by teacher vote rather than student vote. Explore this webpage to learn what it means to be a Class Officer and to learn about the election process.

Please reach out to Mrs. Hsiao (rm 603) with questions: jehsiao@graniteschools.org or to the co-advisor Mrs. Smith: aasmith1@graniteschools.org

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A CLASS OFFICER?

Difference Between SBOs and Class Officers

Position Roles and Responsibilities

Officers run for specific positions. However, the roles and responsibilities associated with each position are only a small portion of what the Class Officer will be doing. Time in Homeroom and in class is usually used for planning and carrying out details of the big Student Government sponsored events and initiatives such as assemblies, Homecoming activities, Gold Rush (charity) activities, Colts are Great activities, elections, Homeroom activities, teacher appreciation, etc.

All Class Officers will assist their SBO counterparts with certain aspects of the SBO responsibilities, giving particular attention to how they can help their specific grade in that area.

Senior Class Officers have responsibilities in addition to what the other grade level officers have. Senior class officers plan and carry out all senior specific activities such as Senior Sunrise/Sunset, Senior Superlatives for the yearbook, Senior Last Dance and other graduation activities.

Class Presidents will have extra responsibilities as members of the SBO class, and must be prepared to dedicate significantly more time to their position than the other class officers.

-Lead Student Government

-Create daily class agendas

-Coordinate & delegate responsibilities

-Support other roles

-Organize and assign event or activity roles

-Work closely in tandem with advisors

The Senior Class President also traditionally speaks at graduation and coordinates with the other senior officers in planning all future class reunions.

-Implement and monitor the Humans of Cottonwood Instagram account

-Support other roles

-Help organize and assign event or activity roles

-Take turns with the president in leading Student Government class

-Lead Homeroom initiatives

-Coordinate with the School PTA Board

-Focus on inclusion and sense of belonging at Cottonwood

-Lead administrative initiatives

-Coordinate with other school organizations

-Coordinate and send daily minutes for Homeroom and class.

-Create the assembly scripts and communicate with officers about assembly assignments.

-Attend school events to take pictures and video

-Maintain and post to the Historian Instagram account

-Create the annual Historians Assembly

-Create any videos for other assemblies/events

-Coordinate display case photos

-Coordinate Student Government photo shoots

-Coordinate all intercom and YouTube announcements

-Run the Colt Instagram account

-Implement multiple ways to inform students

-Help the advisor update the Stampede website

-Oversee the creation of all dance and event banners and posters

-Coordinate & approve Student Government artwork

-Create designs for school use

-Maintain organization and inventory of all art supplies

-Help the Dance Officers with dance decorations

-Implement ideas to increase school spirit and support activities

-Coordinate leaders for the Stampede Student Section at games

-Obtain schedules from sports teams and groups to assist Communications Officers

-Coordinate game themes and tailgates and bleacher parties.

-Implement ideas to include all students in Dances

-Choose dance themes

-Coordinate any decorations

-Help find and coordinate with DJ for dances

-Coordinate photo booth for dances

The Junior Class Dance Officer will primarily be in charge of Prom. The Junior Class together decides on the theme. Other Dance Officers support the Junior Class Dance Officer and the Juniors for Prom.

Expectations and Requirements

ANY eligible Cottonwood Student (or 8th Grader coming to Cottonwood) can run to be a Class Officer! We are looking for leaders, innovative thinkers and students who care about Cottonwood!

Class Officer Expectations and Responsibilities Link

Academics

The requirement is a 3.0 GPA and a 3.0 CPA for Quarter 3 and it is expected that this standard be maintained throughout the year in office if elected. (For 8th graders, that is equivilent to getting mostly A grades). Officer eligibility will be reviewed at the end of each quarter while in office. If a student has not maintained a 3.0 GPA, they will be immediately placed on academic probation.

Class Presidents are required to join the SBO class period. All other positions will not be required to be in the SBO class period, but will be encouraged to participate if able and will join the Student Government Homeroom class.

Dedication/Example

Class Officers are the appointed leaders for each grade level at Cottonwood. The activities, events, assemblies, and initiatives take a significant amount of time to plan. The position of Class President will take significantly more time and responsibility compared to the other class officer positions. If you choose to run for president, be prepared to have a responsibilities almost to the level of an SBO.

All officers will commit to afterschool activities and initiatives as well as remain dedicated to being great examples in thier behavior, words, attitude, online interactions, etc. What you are seen doing will be considered acceptable behavior by all other students.

Summer Commitment

In order to be prepared for events at the beginning of the school year, we will need to complete important planning during the Summer Break. SBO and Class President are required to attend the Utah State University Leadership Camp from June 1-3. Other class officers are not required to attend USULC, but it is highly encouraged! On average, we spend about one week throughout the summer working on Student Government tasks. Summer days are somewhat flexible, but the two weeks before school starts is an important time for Class Officers. Mark your calendars!

WHAT IS THE ELECTION PROCESS?

This webpage is an outline only. If you are serious about running for office, you MUST read through the entire Election Packet

Class Officer Election Packet Link

Voting Calculations

CHANGE in scoring percent from 20% teacher recommendation to 30% teacher recommendation.

Campaign Regulations

All RULES of Cottonwood High School are to be obeyed.
Any negative interactions between candidates, to include verbal, online, or physical, will result in immediate suspension of the candidate’s campaign.
Candidate initiated campaigning of any kind during class time is not appropriate.
Even if you are running unopposed, you will be required to complete all components of the Webpage Campaign/Portfolio. If you fail to complete this, you will be dropped as a candidate and an application will be opened up to anyone that would like to apply through an application process for that position. If no other student wants to apply, that position will remain vacant.

Step 1: Watch the Information Meeting

You are required to view the information meeting in full.

**CHANGES WITH STUDENT EMAILS: Because the Granite District account no longer allows YouTube, we need to communicate and share the Google Sites with your PERSONAL Email address.

Step 2: Complete the Digital Application

DUE March 30 @ 5:00 PM

Class Officer Digital Application Link

This form will acknowledge that you intend to run for Class Office. You will also acknowledge that you understand the expectations of the office and the campaign regulations. A parent or guardian also needs to sign. Please have them read and understand everything involved in becoming a Class Officer. *NEW as of 2/19/26, your Digital Application will be included in your Portfolio Score. It will be an additional 10 points. It will be scored on completion on time, thoughtful clear answers and your abilities to be a leader in Student Government.

The application includes leadership questions that will take some time and thought. Give yourself at least a half hour to complete the entire application.

*CHANGE IN PROCEDURE as of 2/19/26: Before, Mrs. Hsiao would email a final list of candidates. NOW, there will be a list of candidates running for each position listed below. This list will be in order of application received and updated regularly. You will have until March 31 at 5:00 PM to change positions. Email Mrs. Hsiao at jehsiao@graniteschools.org to ask for a change in position. A final list will be posted March 31 after 5:00 PM.

On the evening of March 31, an advisor will share the Google Site Campaign/Portfolio with you to complete. This will need to be shared with you to your personal email to allow for your to upload YouTube videos.

List of Class Officer Candidates as of 3/18/26

Freshman Candidates

President: Shemarion Zachery

Vice President:

Secretary:

Historian:

Communications:

Artist:

Stampede Officer: Hermon Michael, Luke Evans

Dance Officer:

Junior Candidates

President: Charles Woodward

Vice President:

Secretary:

Historian: Emery Dilley, Piper Pearson

Communications:

Artist: Carter Halliday, AJ Montgomery

Stampede Officer: Timothy Hsiao

Dance Officer: Olivia Pendleton, Hannah Judd

Sophomore Candidates

President:

Vice President:

Secretary: Gabriel Esquivel, Rylie Seydel

Historian:

Communications:

Artist: Charles Mast, Isobell Huffaker

Stampede Officer: Camden Place

Dance Officer:

Senior Candidates

President:

Vice President:

Secretary:

Historian:

Communications: Rylin Anderson

Artist: Charlotte Smith, Bailee Anderson

Stampede Officer: Arjeta Avdiu

Dance Officer:

Step 3: Prepare In-School Campaign

8th Graders running for Freshman Class Office will NOT do any in-school campaigning. They will only campaign on the Webpage Campaign/Portfolio. All the 8th graders from both Granite Park and Bonneville will vote for their candidates of choice regardless of the school they currently attend. All candidates will be at Cottonwood next year, so students will vote as if they already attend Cottonwood.

Posters

4 posters

No bigger than 5x3 ft

Rules outlined in Election Packet

Bring posters to room 603 for approval on April 13 before school

2 Campaign Days

Wednesday April 15

Thursday April 16

You can give out items less that $1

Not during class time

No sticky items or distractions in class.

Step 4: Prepare Webpage Campaign/Portfolio

DUE April 13 @ 5:00 pm

After your Digital Application is accepted, an advisor will share a Google Site Link with you through your PERSONAL email. This webpage will be BOTH your campaign page to peers AND your portfolio. The following components will be included in this webpage. Read the details in the Election Packet very carefully.

EXAMPLE WEBPAGE TEMPLATE CLICK HERE

The example above is ONLY an example for you to start planning. Remember, on March 31, an advisor will share with you your specific webpage. That is the page you must use for your webpage campaign/portfolio. Webpage colors will correspond to the class colors: Senior = Black, Junior = White, Sophomore = Gold, Freshmen = Grey.

Website Profile
Video to Peers
Question and Answer
Position Task

Step 5: Teacher Recommendations

Student Government advisors will be sending out the teacher recommendation forms to all your teachers at the start of campaign week. You will not see these recommendations. Your job is to follow up with your teachers by the end of Wednesday during campagin week. Your teachers will rate (1-10) your performance in their class based on your demonstration of cooperation, leadership and honesty.

Advisors will make sure the Teacher Recommendation form is distributed to all the teachers at the Junior High Schools as well.

Step 6: Voting and Winner Announcement

Voting will take place April 15 and 16 online with a voting form that will be linked on the cwoodstampede.com website. 8th Graders at Bonneville and Granite Park Junior High Schools will have the opportunity to vote online for their candidates of choice from both schools.

A list of winners will be posted on the candidate website at 5:00 pm on April 16. Winners will also be announced at the Talent Show Assembly on April 17 at Cottonwood.

ONLY the students in your grade will be voting for that specific grade's officers. 9th graders will vote for next year's 10th grade officers. 11th graders will vote for next year's 12th grade officers, etc. All Cottonwood High School teachers vote for all the class secretaries including the Freshman Class Secretaries.

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