With class elections approaching on Thursday, September 9th, and Friday, September 10th, each of the candidates responded to four questions to help the student body get to know them a little better. Here are the questions that were asked:
- Why have you decided to run for this specific position?
- Do you have any past or current leadership experience?
- What ideas or changes do you plan to implement if you are elected?
- Is there anything unique or interesting about you that you would like to share with the student body?
Freshmen (2025)
President
Dimah Adnan
- I decided to run for Freshman class president because I wanted to be able to have a voice and help Mira Loma grow as a school. I would like equality, equity, freedom of speech, etc. to become normal at Mira Loma High School. Although our school is well practiced in these fields, current events have made it clear that we can still learn. I would like to ensure that every student feels completely comfortable talking to any adults and/or other students. I want everyone to feel accepted and loved coming to school everyday. I would like Mira Loma to be a safe place where everyone can express themselves and, in the future, be a happy memory to look back on. I am running for Freshman class president because I want to ensure that no events of racism, inequality, sexism, etc. happen at Mira Loma. I am also running for president because I want to make sure that this first year, completely back since the pandemic turns out to be perfect and I would like to help everyone adjust well.
- Although I haven’t had any major leadership experiences, I have had multiple tiny ones from time to time. Those small moments range from writing a play, then casting and directing it to tutoring people in my old schools.
- If I were to be elected as Freshman class president, I would do everything in my power to ensure that covid-19 does not ruin this school year. I would like events like homecoming, sports-a-rama, floats, pep rallies, games, and many more to be available for students to participate in, while still issuing covid-19 restrictions such as masks and social distancing. While covid-19 still is a very real problem and should not be forgotten about, I do not want it to ruin yet another year. I would also like to focus on real life issues and make sure they don’t find their way into Mira Loma. A good example of this would be our dress code policy. Although I agree that certain limits should be placed, I also believe that part of freedom of speech is clothing. Students should be able to wear whatever clothes they desire. Dress codes should be placed to some extent, but they should not in any way shape or form be placed to silence people’s sense of style. So, I would like to make certain changes to our dress code policies. I would also like to make more school activities related to mental health. Mental health is a very important and serious issue. Especially since many of us have suffered during our quarantine and distance learning. I also know from experience that sometimes it’s hard to reach out and talk to counselors who are older than you, and may not understand what you are going through. Therefore, I would like to have mental illness awareness activities where mental health issues are addressed and talked about instead of ignored.
- I would like to share that I was born in Baghdad, Iraq and that I am bilingual, and speak arabic. Arabic is my first language, and I use it to communicate with most of my friends and family.
Suki Iyer
- I am running for president because I feel like I could make a difference. I think being involved in a community is an amazing feeling and I’d like to make that possible for students at Mira Loma! I always liked being involved in leadership, but I always dismissed running for a position. I never thought I would have a chance so I decided not to. This year I wanted to push myself a little, and build my confidence, so I decided to run for president. I think I would do well as freshman president and I hope everyone else thinks so too!
- Yes, I was in my leadership class last year, and I have also taught a few classes in the past including art and yoga classes! I really enjoy having a leadership role and I’m excited to see what happens this year!
- I still don’t know too much about Mira Loma’s leadership, but I do know that if I get elected, that I will try my best to make this year an enjoyable experience. I think that even though school can get hard there should be times where you can just let go! I believe that being freshman president will allow me to give that opportunity to everyone.
- I think one thing that is unique about me is I usually always think on the positive side of things. When something bad or unexpected happens I usually try to see how I can solve the problem instead of worrying too much. Sometimes it can be hard to be optimistic but I always try my best!
Reyhana Rezai
- I have decided to run for Freshmen Class President because I would love to represent freshmans on the Executive Board and I believe I have what it takes to be a class president. I also chose to run for class president because I want to change the school environment so that students are more enthusiastic about school.
- I do have some leadership experiences. For example, I ran for president in 5th grade. I was also in the Student Leadership class in Winston Churchill Middle School.
- If I am elected as class president, one of my plans is to arrange a day for students to assist teachers after school.This way students have a way to engage more with school and teachers get a little bit of extra help. I also want to host multiple competitions. One of them would be between the students. There could also be another competition that is between the students and faculty members.
- I’ve lived in 3 different countries by the time I was 7.
Vice President
Graeme Plant
- I decided to run for VP because it is my freshman year and it is something fun to do with my friends. I also learned from Toby (senior Vice President) about what you do and I wanted to participate in the school.
- I have never been in a school leadership role, but I do have lots of leadership skills that I have learned through the years and have helped co-coach teaching kids golf. I also participate in lots of team sports and events.
- My plan is to help the president get more freshman involved in activities like floats and events. Another plan of mine is to help people get back to the normal school life after being in an unusual quarantine lifestyle for the past year.
- Something interesting about me is that I am an active person in sports such as swim and golf and I love helping others. I also have an amazing friend group who I think of as family who has helped me through everything and will continue to help me. I want to help other students in the school create this type of friendship and environment.
Secretary
Chloe Santos
- I have decided to run for freshman class secretary so that I can immerse myself deeper into the unique culture of Mira Loma. I also hope that this opportunity will help me meet more of my fellow classmates, and create a more welcoming environment for them as we all head into this new experience!
- Although I do not have any leadership experience within school, I have been serving as the worship leader for my youth group for 5 years. I believe that this has crafted me into a dedicated person, while simultaneously improving my communication skills, as well as my people skills. But even if I haven’t had much experience regarding leadership, I still definitely know what it means to work as a team. I’ve been playing soccer for almost 9 years now, and I think that working efficiently with others is just as important as leading a group.
- Something that I really want to emphasize this year is prioritizing mental health. After over a year of online, coming to school everyday can be pretty draining for all of us. If elected, I just want to be a safe space for other students, and assist my fellow officers in prioritizing their mental health too.
- Not really, nothing other than the fact that I am really excited to possibly be elected as your freshman class secretary!
Treasurer
Elijah Duncan
- I thought that the experience I have with money and how it works would be useful to my class this year, and wanted to help out!
- I do, in fact, I was in student leadership at my school last year. I think that will help me with this year’s term
- I want to find a way to make things organized and am hoping to find ways to do so, things that may surpass me
- If you ever need a hand or someone to talk to, I’m always here!
Sophomores (2024)
President
Leina Alofa-Aders
- I’m in love with the idea of being President, as it means I’m able to make an impact and have a greater reach at our school. I would have a sizable say in things, and I want to utilize it to get as much input as possible from the class of 2024, and ensure that that input is seen in events hosted or elsewhere. Additionally, I’ve been encouraged to run for this position as I work well with the peers I would likely be working with, if elected.
- I’m acting 2024 class president, as I was elected last year, meaning I still attend executive board meetings and vote on what takes place at our school. Not only this, but last summer I enrolled in a Matador Leadership Academy, which educated me on my specific strengths and weaknesses, as well as how to use them for the benefit of the group. Unfortunately, I could not fully participate in my officer duties last year, as we were fully online until the end of the school year. Even so, I did the best I could and was an active class officer. I’m currently taking the Student Government class, in which I am dedicated to putting time into our school, whether it be planning events, hosting activities at lunch, or communicating with teachers to get information to their students. Not only this, but I assisted in conducting freshman orientation and tours, proving that I have been putting time into our school, and I’m more than willing to continue to do so.
- As I would be entering the position fresh out of the pandemic, I have little to build upon. Because of this, I’m hoping to raise spirit back up within the Mira Loma class of 2024. Having spirit is an important part of being a matador, and I plan to be an example of that. We need to rebuild our school, and as a member of the government here, I plan to contribute my time and efforts into caring for our students through hosting events, showing through for spirit weeks, spending my free time planning dances and doing deco, and much, much more. Being in such a positive and collaborative working environment will no doubt lead to new ideas, and the students would undoubtedly always have something to look forward to.
- Not necessarily unique or interesting, but I’ve always been a people person. It may be because I’ve grown up with two older brothers who made a name for themselves at this school, but I’ve always loved being in the public and mingling with others, even those I don’t know. I’ve been surrounded by leadership for a while, especially considering my older brother has been in Stud Gov for a couple years, so I occasionally tagged along and listened in on what he did. The community in that class is incredible, and it’s a close knit group of people. If given this position, I want people to know that I’m an approachable person, and I adore being able to help others out. The ability to help someone and see the result is one of the best feelings I can imagine, and I hope to share it with the rest of my class. I love this school and everyone in it. 🙂
Vice President
Elroe Kumalo
- I decided to run for this position because I believe in leadership for the community. As a black woman, I am always looking for leaders that look like me and understand where I come from. Although it is my first year in ASB, I’ve grown to love the community and environment so much that I hope I can be that for anyone else that is looking for what I looked for.
- This is my first year in ASB, but I have a lot of youth leadership experience. I worked over the summer in the San Juan summer school program working with different kids in the district and I think that was a good opportunity and a good way to learn more and more about my leadership skills.
- Nothing in particular I would like to change but more of make things even better and more inclusive to the community.
- I don’t think I have any interesting quirks but I try my best to interact with as much people as I can. So I’d say being social and friendly is the only thing I can think of. I also only eat In and Out burgers with meat and sauce. I’ve been made fun of for it multiple times, but I will never change.
Candice Li
- Vice President has always been a position that has been overlooked as “unimportant”, however I believe that vice president had the opportunity to provide support not only to the president but to the entire student body as well. I have decided to run for this specific position because I thrive in a place where I am able to serve and help others, rather than being in the direct spotlight myself. While the VP position is always overlooked, I strive to change and redefine the responsibilities that come along with the job. Being part of leadership in the past has made me feel at home, and I would like to bring a similar experience to the rest of my class as well. Leadership is never about oneself and is always about serving others. I will always be here to serve you.
- In the past, I served as a Spirit Commissioner on campus of Winston Churchill Middle School during the 2019-2020 school year. During my freshman year, I was also elected to serve as the class vice president as well. Last March, I was appointed to the California Association of Student Leaders State Board as a Media Director. I was once again reappointed this year, and have had the honor of serving student leaders across the state of California for two years. Through these opportunities, I have gained so much insight into student connections, well being, and habits. No matter what, I will continue my leadership journey in hopes of impacting one person at a time.
- While everything is up in the air right now regarding events, I plan to connect the many different sections of our school together. I think it’s incredibly special to see genuine connections being made through simple but meaningful conversations. Personally for me, I was surprised to see the interactions that I was able to have with students of different clubs, programs, and specialties. Ever since coming to Mira Loma, I am grateful for all of the friendships that I’ve forged. I would want as much of our 2024 class to have these moments and connections with each other. Whether it be through lunchtime games, sports, clubs, events; I really want to help cultivate these interactions with one another and am ecstatic to see what awaits us in the future.
- I am really random. There isn’t any other way to describe who I am. On campus, you can probably find me hanging around C6 (Student Government) helping the class with various tasks. I can be found playing spikeball during lunch…or sleeping. I’ve been dancing for almost ten years now and also play soccer occasionally. I spend my time at home journaling, or working on my latest media project whether it be graphics or editing videos. I freak out over cute things and am a stationery addict. Not to mention the hours that I’ve spent watching anime and other animated movies. I’d love to be able to get to know you better over the course of this year so please feel free to come up to talk to me, email, or DM me on instagram! Better yet, come challenge me to a round of spikeball :))
Secretary
Yahli Harel
- Student Government has always been something I have loved. In middle school it was my way to open up and socialize more, and now in high school it’s my way to make people want to come to school everyday. I specifically chose the role of secretary because I love taking notes. Maybe it’s just my IB brain, but I genuinely think taking notes is fun. As for my class officer position as a whole, I want to represent the sophomore class in the the best way I know how, with lots of spirit and many fun events.
- I was in Student Leadership my Seventh and Eighth grade years, and it was always my pleasure to participate and help lead as many events as I could. I was also Freshman class secretary last year, and, even though we couldn’t have many events, I learned a lot about my duties and responsibilities as a class secretary and as a student leader. I hope to learn and grow more this year!
- In Student Government meetings I always had to give my two cents about what the Sophomore class needs to succeed. I always want to make sure that, when planning events, we understand that Sophomores are in the same position as Freshman this year. Most of my ideas thus far have been how to include Sophomore and Freshman so they feel included in our events. If elected, I hope Freshman and Sophomores can see me as approachable and come to me with any questions they may have, and more ideas on how they can feel included.
- My only personality trait is I read all the time. If I am not sleeping or doing homework I am reading. I come from a big family of readers so my obsession probably stems from that. If you are reading this and love books please talk to me. I love talking to people about books. Currently my favorite genre is fantasy, but that changes on a daily basis.
Treasurer
Claire Contreras
- I’m running for treasurer because I want to help the class of 2024 build a strong foundation so that we can have awesome events during our next three years. Being a teacher’s kid, I have been on campus for events like SAR, athletics and homecoming and look forward to the following years while these events are being reintroduced and incorporated. I know the Mira Loma community very well and I think this definitely gives me an advantage during a year post-Covid when communication and meeting new people can be tricky. I’m excited to serve my class and have plenty of fun ideas for events (even with pandemic protocols) while still keeping in mind budgets and saving.
- Currently, and for the past five years, I have played competitive water polo and been a team captain. I’ve helped my team medal at junior olympics and earned MVP three years straight. I have also stepped up and become a junior coach for my team which means I get to lead younger athletes (ages 5-8) in drills while still keeping them safe in the water. Aquatics are something I am deeply passionate about, as mentioned before, I have been on campus many times for the past five years, and even before being a student, I have helped in many of the fundraising efforts for the MLHS aquatics teams by helping the teams fundraise for senior awards and apparel.
- The circumstances have definitely changed with Covid-19 protocols but I hope to incorporate more class bonding events and lunchtime activities to get more community involvement. I also hope to work with my fellow officers to come up with creative ways to host safe socials as a way to bring my class closer.
- I love to open swim, paddle board, and I’m learning to surf!
Juniors (2023)
Vice President
Carrie Crabajales
- I have decided to run as the junior class Vice President to help bridge the gap between IB and Non-IB students.
- I do not have past leadership experience. However, I try my best to actively participate in school events, sports, and cheering for my fellow Matadors!
- I want to be able to provide a voice for students participating in other academic programs besides IB. It would be ignorant to ignore how heavily IB is pushed towards our students, and it’s not the only program that makes up our student body. As someone who has been both an IB and a Non-IB student, all students deserve to be represented equally. I want to be someone not only Juniors, but any student can feel comfortable walking up to and asking questions or even having a friendly conversation with.
- I have double-jointed thumbs!
Mariana Yamamoto
- I am running to be junior vice president because I feel that I have a lot to contribute to my class and I know that it would be a great experience. In terms of what I can contribute, I am very enthusiastic about Mira Loma and school events, meaning I am ready to put in lots of work and time. Additionally, I feel that I have a lot of skills that complement the role of an officer such as organizational, creative, time management, and practical thinking. I decided to run for the job of vice president in particular because the role centers largely around working with others and assisting the fellow class officers, especially the president, however necessary. This appeals to me because I enjoy working with others and being a part of that sort of team. Aside from what I believe I can bring as my class’s vice president, I decided to run because I know that there is a lot to learn as an officer, a lot you can do to help others, and just a lot of things that I genuinely enjoy in participating and helping our class.
- I was 2023’s class vice president last year and was able to learn a lot about what the job entails, what many class activities require, and ultimately what needs to be done. Due to distance learning and restrictions last year we were unable to actually hold a lot of the regular activities, but I still went through the planning of some events as well as a lot of brainstorming with the other officers for themes, fundraisers, events, deco, etc., which would all be beneficial for this year’s vice president. Outside of the school my valuable leadership experience has come largely through my old soccer team. As a leader on the team I was able to gain skills regarding resolving tension between others, thinking logically and practically in stressful situations, and creating friendly, collaborative atmospheres, all of which I feel translate into any leadership role.
- If I am elected there aren’t any huge changes that I want to make, I want the class of 2023 to prioritize being successful and competitive with the other classes in the school, but I would definitely plan to implement more fundraising. This year as juniors we hopefully have a lot of big events coming up through the year that require a lot of funding, which we as a class have not had many opportunities to raise. Other goals that I would have as class vice president would regard communication, participation, and overall spirit with the junior class. Our class tends to lack these things, even more so with not being able to do a lot of school events yet, which contributes to people not feeling like part of the school or us as a class not reaching our potential.
- I don’t think there is anything especially unique or interesting about myself, if anything I would just like to convey how much I do care about our school and our class. I love being a part of school events and class activities and take every opportunity to participate and help, I am more than ready to jump right into the job as we hopefully head into homecoming season and everything that comes with it.
Secretary
Janelle Choi
- Hello fellow classmates! I decided to run for the position of class secretary in order to help lead our class in school spirit and activities. I have always believed school should be welcoming and a place where everyone can feel a sense of community. I believe I can help establish this environment as a class officer. Specifically, as class secretary, I will be able to coordinate with other classes and administration as one of my main jobs would be to communicate with Executive Board and our school controller.
- Last year I was class president, I was secretary for Eunoia (a community service club on campus) last year, I am currently the president of Eunoia, and the event coordinator for Chinese Honor Society.
- After not being able to participate in school activities for a year and a half, my main goal is to work with the class officers to plan and deliver activities that will give students the opportunity to fully enjoy the high school experience. Through my experience as a student during the pandemic, I realized I missed everyday activities the most. Eating lunch with friends, hearing morning announcements, going to rallies, worrying about who’s going to what dance with who, and all the not serious, mundane details. I hope to be able to revive activities that allow us to feel a sense of normalcy at school again. And in the case that cases go up again, I will still do my best to implement these plans
- My go to fun fact is to say I have a bunny named Chip and a dog named Belle. (This is inspired by Beauty and the Beast.) I also used to have two goldfish named Cinderella and Prince Charming.
Treasurer
Joyce Ro
- I have decided to run for junior class treasurer because I want to help raise money for our class and contribute to the events for our class, which has been taken away due to covid. The better ability to raise money could enable the junior class to have more opportunities in terms of funding.
- I am currently an officer for a couple of clubs and forming organizations.
- I hope that fundraising can be more prevalent in our class so we can raise money for events. I also want to push our class spirit since there hasn’t been a whole lot that we have collectively done together in person.
- Not particularly, but I’m excited for the school year. 🙂
Seniors (2022)
Vice President
Isabella (Izzy) Carrasco
- Throughout my time at Mira Loma I have grown to enjoy student government activities and started wanting to help out more around my sophomore year. I have developed my leadership skills and understand what great things we can all do together as a well oiled machine. I believe that my strengths lie in helping and directing others while simultaneously supporting the people I work alongside with. This is why I would be at my most efficient as Vice President so I can fulfill exactly that. While I will still be leading the class, it is nice to have other officers to rely on.
- Yes, I have. I was Junior Class Treasurer and the Secretary for Academic Decathlon. Both of these roles have helped me come out of my shell and learn how to be leader. As those were my first time leading a group of people, these roles also tested my ability to adapt in any situation. I had to learn to be assertive yet considerate in the face of discourse and how to ensure that everyone is enjoying their time working together. While I have never been Vice President before, I am sure my previously established skills will help me succeed.
- Since this is my senior year I want to ensure that we make the most of it especially after missing one and a half years of our time in high school. Two things I would like to focus on are Senior Ball and a Senior trip. For Senior Ball I would like to work to make sure we have the best venue possible as a means to make up for our missed Junior Prom. During my time last year as Junior Treasurer, my fellow class officers managed to compile a list of possible venues and I would love to continue working to finalize that. I am also working with some families of Seniors and our class advisor to potentially have an end of year trip for our Senior Class. Our goal is to fundraise so we could all go to Disneyland at the end of the year however that may not be realistic. But I do believe that we can pull it off as long as we can all collaborate as a class and while it may not be Disneyland, we could still go somewhere nice together.
- I actually did not do much during my freshman year in terms of school involvement. It wasn’t until two of my best friends, Jesse Cowan and Anela Rei Tan, and some of my upperclassmen friends who graduated a couple years ago convinced me to participate more. Because of them I joined student government, Academic Decathlon, and B-Sharps. While I may not be the most intelligent person or the most talented at singing. I still enjoy these things. I’ve never liked the idea that you have to be “good at something” to enjoy it. I just want to enjoy these things simply because I like them and nothing is stopping me.
Secretary
Seth Marshall
- I have decided to run for class Secretary because I wish to be as involved as possible with school spirit this year; what better way to engage than through holding a class officer position?
- I am a captain of the Cross Country team, which entails responsibilities including coordinating practices and making the team a welcoming environment. Additionally, I was employed as a camp counselor over the summer, providing me with invaluable leadership experience.
- If I am elected class Secretary, I shall use my influence to promote equality on campus, particularly through dress code.
- I have an adorable black cat (who is occupying my lap as I type this), I collect pennies (I have 2000+ at my last tally), and I prefer wooden pencils to mechanical pencils.
Treasurer
Luke Auyeung
- I decided to run for a class position because I’ve always been a huge fan of SAR and other school activities, and by being a class officer I can play a more active role in making these events as enjoyable as possible. I picked Treasurer specifically because I have good resource management and organizational skills, which I believe will be most useful for the Treasurer position.
- I’ll be blunt here – I don’t have any prior leadership experiences, or at least none in the traditional sense. However, I’m confident I can make up for that with enthusiasm and hard work.
- I don’t have any big changes I want to make, but I do plan on making this year the absolute best that it can be. We lost 2 years to quarantine, so let’s make this one count.
- Here’s a cool and potentially interesting fact: I have a regular typing speed of about 120 wpm, and my all time highest was probably 150 wpm.
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