Syesha Fraser, the president of the Class of 2026, is responsible for handling decisions and leading the class officers when coming up with events and activities, all while juggling her academics and other extracurriculars. Despite these demands and limitations, she is passionate about being the voice of her peers and making decisions that benefit her classmates.
Her motivation to run for class president stemmed from her desire to become involved in the school community and wanting to be of service to her peers.
“I wanted to become more involved in the school community… I was confident that I could fulfill that role,” said Fraser. In preparation for her campaign, she made sure she had enough hours to qualify and that she was an active member in class events and activities.
“I ran, and I won,” she said.
As class president, Fraser outlined her plans for the future, and wants to have more consistent events and fundraisers that will help lower the price of prom tickets. “We definitely want more advertisement whenever we’re having fundraisers…and to make sure we’re getting that information out.”
However, she also wants to see more student engagement and participation in these events. “I think the biggest challenge the junior class faces is participation. At the class meeting, I really did try to encourage my peers. I want this year to be a year of prosperity for us, but honestly, it’s all in the hands of them,” said Fraser.
Working with the class officers and advisors requires a lot of communication and coordination for an idea for an activity to come to fruition. “I’m really proud of my board and I’m really grateful for them. We are so great at communicating,” said Fraser.
They value the importance of being in touch with one another, and communicate through emails, text messages, and phone calls. They hold board meetings at least once a month, or try to hold a Zoom or FaceTime call in the event of scheduling conflicts, and share a document to brainstorm and bounce around ideas. Even in the midst of other obligations and events, the board still overcomes these challenges through teamwork, mutual respect, and understanding of each other’s commitments.
Looking back at her tenure of the past five months, Fraser sees the car wash of October 19 as her greatest achievement. “We raised about $1,300. It was a nice October day, it wasn’t too cold, and we had a lot of people come out to participate. Everybody was working, and it was nice to see us all come together as a community,” said Fraser.
This success, she believes, set a strong foundation for future fundraising efforts and demonstrated an example of what the class could accomplish when they work together.
A leading student figure at Edison High, Fraser emphasizes that if you want to make an impact in school and in the community, there are many opportunities to express and open yourself to new experiences and new people.
“Find different ways to participate, whether that’s through a club or sports,” said Fraser.
Through her leadership and dedication to the junior class, Fraser sets an example not only for her peers, but also strengthens the school as a whole, proving that engagement and passion are key to building a thriving and united student body. She implores students to remain motivated in whatever endeavors they pursue.
“When you join clubs or when you join different activities, make sure it’s something you genuinely want to do, because when it isn’t, it’ll start to feel like a burden,” said Fraser.