At St. Mary’s International School, on Monday, 25th May, 2026, John(’30), Alan(’30), and Dominic(’30) were officially elected and announced as President, Vice-President, and Ambassador, respectively, for the rising year 9s, following a democratic poll held for the grade 8s.
After a dramatic, tension-filled buildup over several days, the election winners were revealed. It all started back on May 14, when the positions for the roles were open for running, and several students submitted their applications. Voting began on Thursday, May 21st, when all Grade 8 students received an email inviting them to vote for their potential President, Vice-President, and Ambassador. After 4 competitive days of persuading and begging, it was time for the winners to be announced. As the clock’s hands signalled 8:25 on May 25th, the bell chimed like always. Following it was the morning prayer, which hushed the entire school, creating a perfect, tense atmosphere for the revelation. After days of suspense, the winners were announced to be John as President, Alan as Vice-President, and Dominic as Ambassador. Varying emotions and reactions scattered throughout the school. Some cheered, while others fell to disappointment. As period 1 came to an end, students rushed out, congratulating the winners on their achievements. It was by far the hottest topic of the day.
A survey was conducted across Grade 8, with 70 responses, and the results show that almost half of the students (44.3%) feel neutral about the elections, followed by happy in second, very happy in third, and unhappy and very unhappy tied for fourth/last. In general, the students seem to be leaning towards the happier and more positive side.
Interviews with John, Alan, and Dominic, respectively, revealed their opinions on them being elected. When asked if his election was expected, John replied with “No, to be honest, I thought Alan would win, and I thought I would be Vice President at best.” This was quite a surprising response, as he had been working very hard to advocate for people to vote for him. When Alan was asked the same question, his reply was, “To be honest, I expected it since my competitor candidate John has advertised himself a lot throughout the grade, so overall, I expected to be second in the voting.” His comment about John’s advertising was very true, as he seemed to be the one advocating for himself the most among the other candidates. When it was asked of Dominic, he replied with “Not really.” A very simple answer, showing that he’s on a pretty humble standpoint.
The next question for all of them asked how they felt the moment they were announced over the speaker. John replied to this question with “I felt very shocked, as it was a very unexpected, but at the same time, I was extremely joyful and grateful for all the support from the grade. I would like to thank all of you guys who voted for me.” A very respectful comment thanking others for the support he received in the voting. For Alan, his reply was “Obviously, I felt very happy that I was at least vice-president and still had a role in being a vice-president in my freshman year.” This was a very reasonable response, as even with John’s dedication to advocating for himself, Alan managed to appear in the second-place spot. When Dominic was asked this question, he responded by saying, “I felt bad for Ichimaru and Itsuki, as well as thinking of what responsibilities I would have to uphold.” Yet another humble response from Dominic, as he thinks of his competitors that he pulled through from, and also acknowledges his duties.
The last question asked all three if they believed they deserved their role. John’s reply was, “Yes, I believe I was one of the stronger candidates for this role because I have the most recent StuCo experience, along with the ability to communicate with others.” With him being elected as one of the Grade 8 student councils, he does have recent experience, and being the Grade 9 president would help to maintain his streak. Alan answered with “Yes, because I think I have the most experience out of all the candidates.” This was true, as he has 3 years of experience as a member of the student council from previous years, and this would be his fourth. When asking Dominic, he responded with “Yes, I think I can do a good job as Ambassador next year.” Another simple answer came from him, but he seems to hold much confidence in his abilities to act as a good Ambassador.
It was a pleasure interviewing John, Alan, and Dominic, and what they had to say was truly interesting to include in this report. Their point of view was a valuable addition, helping to strike a balance between the public’s opinions and those of the elected.
These elections were a major event in the 8th grade, as they offered a taste of democratic voting but on a much smaller, less serious scale. Elected students have the opportunity to practice their leadership and public speaking skills while also holding great responsibility. The Class of 2030 looks forward to a successful freshman year, and the President, Vice-President, and Ambassador are wished great luck.