Senior Paul M. is the student body president for the 2024-25 school year. The Greeley Voice interviewed him shortly after he was announced to be the new president to discuss his win, past leadership experiences, and advice for prospective campaigners.
The Greeley Voice: What inspired you to run for president?
Paul M: Actually, it’s a funny thing you ask, because during my freshman year, I had a class with Mr. Petruso, in English 9, and at the end of the year, I saw the campaigns for the student body presidents of the 2022-2023 school year, and I was inspired thinking about how I would feel if I were to put myself in their shoes. I proposed this idea to the class, and then Mr. Petruso, who I’m quite close with, suggested that I should run. And I was thinking about it. Maybe it is a good idea for me to run, just to try out and see how I do. The next year, I was thinking that if I do this, it’s a big commitment, but I think it’ll be worth it in the end, just to see how it goes and everything. That’s how it originated and it evolved throughout sophomore year, and then during junior year I finally decided to commit to running for student body president.
TGV: In your campaign video, you had mentioned how you have experience as a lifeguard and track captain, as well as being picked as a peer leader for the 2024-25 school year. What skills have you learned from these experiences that will help you be president?
PM: In the beginning of my junior year, I got elected track captain. The skill set that I learned from being a track captain is that you have to take into account other’s perspectives and try to integrate their suggestions to better improve what you’re trying to do. For instance, I knew a few students that I was trying to coach jumping were suggesting ways in which we can improve the workouts. I didn’t really have control over the workouts, but I was able to pass it along to the sprinting captains. By evaluating how people were performing in their workouts, I was able to see improvements and give suggestions based on that. If you’re a part of the student body club, you can, with the skill set I learned from helping others in jumping and finding minor suggestions to act on, incorporate that into making suggestions for school-wide events, such as parking reforms or anything else I advocated for in my campaign video.
Lifeguarding disciplined me into understanding my role as being in a part of active work. It was the first step in my journey throughout high school that really disciplined me well and it just really helped me become what I believe would be a good student body president. One that is capable of directing others and being a responsible candidate. And then, you mentioned one more, what was it?
TGV: Peer leader. Is that new this year?
PM: It’s new this year. I didn’t apply last year, but this year I did apply and I was fortunate enough to be elected as one. Today, we just got our rosters. We made a email for our peer kids. During orientation, I’m very excited to meet them, get to know them, and help them become a part of Greeley society because I know that the transition from middle to high school is very difficult. It certainly was for me, I’m sure, maybe, it was for you. I wanted to be a peer leader so I could help others better transition to high school because I know that I was in their shoes at one point. And I’m able to listen to their struggles during peer groups every day 6. I get a chance to get to know them, be friends with them, and hear all their problems so I can provide the assistance that they need and teach them valuable lessons from the peer leadership program. And as student body president, I guess that applies as well because you’re listening to everyone’s voice, whether it’s freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors. And you’re really trying to listen to them, see what their problems are because, I don’t know if you saw the mention of it, but my vice president Mark and I suggested we have this improvement form where Greeley students can suggest their ideas. We can then evaluate what they suggested and try to see how we could apply that to Greeley society for next year, and try and change around a bit of how the Greeley structure works, and improve it based on what is suggested. And so, that’s essentially what peer leadership means to me and how it could apply to presidency.
TGV: Going back to how you’re a track captain, what are some of your best track events?
PM: I pride myself on being a jumper, mainly. Long jump and triple jump. I’ve never gotten the chance to do high jump, but long and triple thus far have been really great. I’ve enjoyed it. I started freshman year, and I never actually knew I would be pretty talented at that event. I kind of isolated myself to do sprinting workouts, and then I decided at one track meet to try jumping. I decided to try long jump because Ben, who was one of my best friends at track, tried it out and he did pretty good. I thought maybe I could perform just as well as him. So I tried it out, and at first it didn’t go too well, but I started practicing more jumping rather than sprinting, and I kind of improved from there. So I guess you could connect that to lifeguarding as well because it demonstrated my work ethic over time. It required more self-discipline compared to listening to a higher power during workouts on myself for track. I was able to improve and I made it to where I am today, fortunate enough to come close to making states.
TGV: Cool! At the start of the 2024-25 year it’ll be really your term, so what is one thing that you’re looking forward to the most, to hit the ground running?
PM: Just today, in our first ever meeting as student body president—
TGV: So it’s already started?
PM: Yeah, though it hasn’t really. I didn’t really have any control over what we’re doing currently, but we’re planning for, as you said, next year, the beginning of next year. I know last year we did some sort of fall formal. I’m trying to move not necessarily against it, but trying to find something different that appeals to all Greeley students because I know Ms. DePeralta, our advisor, showed that the attendance statistics for the fall formal were slightly below average for what they were expecting. They were expecting at least the majority of the student body to attend, but it was around ten percent of the student body. I’m hoping to appeal to every and all audiences of Greeley, freshmen to seniors. Additionally, since the fall formal was very cost-heavy, as you had to plan it out, buy props, and prepare food and beverages, I’m hoping to find an event that’s both appealing to all parties while also not being too expensive. Once I find that middle ground, I’ll be able to implement it and the planning process has just started today, in June. I have more to think about when it comes to school-wide events at the beginning of the year. But I know for a fact that pep rally is coming back and it is happening during the fall. It’s going to be great.
TGV: Do you have any final comments you’d like to share?
PM: If anyone really wants to start campaigning for student body president for next year, there’s really nothing to lose. You can go for it if you want to. Definitely know how big of a commitment being student body president is, and how the campaigning process goes. Definitely plan ahead if you plan to run. And have a good time while doing it. It should obviously be taken seriously, but don’t take it seriously to the point where you’re not even having fun and enjoying campaigning and eventually winning if you get the chance to!

Responses have been edited for clarity.