TOME—For the second consecutive year, student council projects from Valencia High School have captured awards in state competition.
Competing against high schools from across the state, the VHS student council won two Judges Choice awards and one Delegates Choice award in the Project of the Year category at the New Mexico Association of Student Councils annual state conference Feb. 14-16 in Farmington, according to their sponsor, Charity Wilson.
The Delegates Choice and one Judges Choice award were for an in-school project called “Staff Relations” aimed at improving interactions between students and staff. The other Judges Choice award was for “Project Children,” in which council members went into VHS feeder schools, read to the students and interacted with them, and provided the 30 neediest students in each school with “care packages.”
“We were up against high schools from all over the state,” Wilson said. “We beat out schools like Cleveland, Rio Rancho High, Centennial and Las Cruces.”
In 2018, the council won a Judges Choice award for their project on “School Spirit,” it’s first ever NMASC award.
During the conference the Valencia students also attended workshops on leadership and changing school culture.
“Some of the workshops focused on making a difference in your community now,” Wilson said, “not thinking you have to wait until later.”
She said the VHS councilors also presented a workshop on positive thinking and how it can affect school culture.
Asked if the students returned from the conference fired up with ideas for new projects, Wilson said, “Absolutely. They’re eager to launch more projects that impact their school.”
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April 18, 2024
