There is always the fear that a student government team will not work well together. The fear that instead of getting things done, the work is left behind in the dust. The 2023-2024 Student Government Executive team revealed none of these sentiments. This was not because Mrs. Derendorf oversaw our meetings and decisions but because of the people who made up the team, specifically the three seniors who have graduated this May: Helen Olohan, Theresa Bettinelli and Katie Hanifin. This team did not flourish because of each individual’s work but because of their ability to work as a team: dividing the work, helping each other out, and bonding not just as “coworkers” but as genuine friends.
Theresa, it is hard to say how we could have had such spectacular designs on posters, t-shirts or emails without your hard work and dedication. Without a doubt, anytime something needed to be designed in a creative way, heads turned in the direction of Theresa, who nodded her head in a silent manner and got directly to work on the next project that needed designing. If any of the team members were talking of a game, a material, or an idea in a hypothetical way, you can trust Theresa to search the web, or come up with a plan to make the idea a reality. Whether it’s getting excited over a 6ft spaceship, or contacting Custom Ink late into the night, Theresa was dedicated and always serving.
Katie, who would have thought that the treasurer would also be such an amazing Jeopardy creator! Katie’s talents and contributions to the team did not stop at her money handling capabilities; she kept track of emails, she kept track of points and, whenever the topic of conversation strayed outside the Montrose bubble for more than 10 minutes, Katie brought us back to our work. When an informational email needed to be written, or contact with the administration team was required, Kate got right on it. In a flash, the email was done, no waiting needed. When Katie put her mind to something, she was on fire. It will forever be remembered that during the very first meeting, Katie proposed the idea of having a hypnotist come to Montrose! Although this was seen as impossible by Mrs. Derendorf, ideas like this were a common occurrence by Katie, who contributed out of the box ideas that made CHR activities different and exciting.
Helen, what really held this team together was our 7-Year Survivor. Having been on the team before, she entered each CHR, each meeting, or group huddle in a calm and confident manner. If CHR was a tad disorganized, or was not going in the way we had planned, you could trust Helen to think on the fly of a way to brighten the scene or see the positive. Though Helen had seen this school go through good and bad times, and cared for its traditions, she was not afraid to point out things that simply did not work anymore. She helped put into action the Class Cup that has been a huge hit, and also prioritized and chose to get rid of CHRs that Montrose had outgrown. Without Helen, the team would not have been as well bonded. Without a doubt, trust Helen to bring up the most recent piece of news from around the school, asking about your opinion on it, and how the team can help. On the days that there is not much to do, Helen is always ready to bring up the most recent event, such as Prom or Semi, and wants to hear everyone’s opinion.
The Student Government Executive team could not have been so successful without the combined effort of all three seniors. Each contributed a piece of themselves and their unique personalities and abilities to the games, activities and meetings. We are sad to see them go but excited to see what’s in store for them in the future!
By Eva Derendorf ‘25, Contributing Writer
