As the U.S. Presidential election is approaching, PCM just finished voting on who would be their student body president. A couple of weeks ago, senior Jay Meinders was voted in as student body president. He ran against senior Bess Telfer.
Meinders and his vice-president Landon Fenton do not have many plans for the school even though they are president and vice president. In addition, there were some questions being asked as to whether or not Jay was the underdog in the election and why he ran for student body president, because everyone in a leadership role has a reason for wanting that position.
“Landon and I thought about [running for student body president and vice-president] our junior year, and we thought it would be fun,” Meinders said.
Meinders also added with a smile that he is “finally there.” He also doesn’t have many plans regarding the 2020 school year. However, he did mention that “he wants to get [the] students’ voices heard” whenever someone has an idea that would better student life.
Some students think that becoming president would change life drastically. On a daily basis, all it really has changed is that there is something new to talk about with random students and friends.
“One kid said, ‘Hi, Mr. President,” Meinders said with a laugh, “I didn’t even know his name!”
On the day of the election, a lot of the students did not vote for Meinders because of his qualifications.
“In the class I was in [when the election happened], there were only about 10 or so kids in there, and I think [the] majority of them voted for me,” said Meinders.
President Jay thinks that his opponent, Telfer, probably should have won.
“Bess is definitely way more qualified [to be president] than I am,” said Meinders. However, he is glad that he did win.
“If I had to redo it, I definitely would do it again,” Meinders said of running for president, “Honestly, when you’re in high school, just do as much as possible because you only have four years and you only do it once. You will never come back.”

Meinders, center, became PCM’s student body president a couple of weeks ago.