The Westford Academy freshman Class of 2028 held their first student government elections on Wednesday, Oct. 2. The four elected class officers are Alicia Kurnianto as class president, Chiara Leiwant as vice president, Alicia Kwon as secretary, and Abhiram Vuppuluri as treasurer.
In addition to the four officer positions, freshmen Ian Cho, Shrey Dalia, Mana Ikeda, Teddy Miller, Rachel Newman, and Luana Rodriguez were elected to Student Council (STUCO); Anya Jain, Claire O’Shea, and Devansh Vats will be joining the Student Senate; and Praneel Sajjan was voted to represent the Class of 2028 on the Student Advisory Committee.
At the end of the original election on Oct. 2, the vote for vice president resulted in a tie between Leiwant and freshman Austin Kane, leading to a re-vote to be held the next day with the two tied candidates. Leiwant ended up winning the final vote.
The Class of 2028 student government will hold these elected positions until their sophomore year elections in the spring of 2025. They will collaborate with their class advisors, math teacher Kristen Stamp and English teacher Christopher Bramanti to plan freshmen class events and perform their respective duties in each branch.
“[Mrs. Stamp and I] want to create as much fun as we can,” Bramanti said. “We want to create a great high school experience for every kid.”
This elected group of class officers has expressed a common interest in uniting the class and helping everyone feel a sense of belonging, regardless of the middle school they came from.
“Making everyone feel included is one of my objectives as treasurer this year. I do not want the kids of Stony [Brook] and Blanchard to be divided,” Vuppuluri said. “I want everyone to feel like they belong to the Class of 2028.”
Kurnianto shared a similar sentiment, stating that inclusivity was a large part of why she had initially ran for class president.
“I decided to run for president because I believed I could make a big impact on this school and help create ideas which would include everyone,” Kurnianto said.
The newly elected student council representatives are largely focused on planning for school-wide events. In previous years, student council has planned several popular Westford Academy events, including the Fall Semi-Formal, Trunk-or-Treat, and the Holiday Bazaar. For one, Rodriguez proposes ideas such as football field movie nights, spirit competitions, and photo booths.
“I want to provide more ways to be able to meet new people and help everyone make connections,” Rodriguez said.
Student Senate and Student Advisory Committee share similar goals to their STUCO counterparts: belonging and representing their class well.
“I ran for Student Senate because […] I wanted to act as a voice for the student body and ensure that the voices of those who desire change are heard and acknowledged,” Jain said.
The student government will face their first year in high school while collaborating within their branches to make their freshman year a good experience for their class. Many hope to be reelected in the spring.
“Westford Academy has a great reputation,” Kwon said. “I am looking forward to the fun experiences we will have as a class over the next four years.”
