With the first quarter nearing its end, student council president Ben Barnett has begun settling into his newly assumed position. We sat down with him to ask how these past few months have treated him, and what he’s looking forward to in the upcoming semester.

Harriton Banner: How are you feeling coming back to Harriton now as a senior?

Ben Barnett: I feel wonderful! It’s great to have my junior year behind me. I am extremely excited for all of the great events that the student government has planned for this year. Mr. Harriton is going to be remarkable.

HB: What about the school vibes have you observed as different this year compared to last year?

BB: I think that the vibes of our school have really improved. One of the main objectives that I had for this year was to break down the social barriers between Freshmen and Seniors. It amazes me how intimidated some of the freshmen are when talking to a Senior. This year, I have observed that our school is beginning to stray away from that regularity and the relationships between Freshmen and Seniors have really improved. I think this is very important because Seniors are a wealth of knowledge at our school and they can really be a significant tool for the Freshmen Class.

HB: Can you tell us what Student Council is up to right now?

BB: The Student Council has just finished the fall pep rally and the Made On the Main Line event. This event took place over the weekend and we raised around $1,000 for charities. It was an amazing night and we hope that the future student council will continue to produce Made On The Main Line. Now we are arranging the annual Quidditch match that will take place on November 7th. We are also beginning the Mr. Harriton process and applications for juniors and seniors are out now. If you are interested, make sure you sign up!

HB: Tell us about your goals for Harriton for this school year.

BB: My biggest goal this year is to raise $25,000 for Mr. Harriton. We have some amazing new advisors, Ms. Lawson and Mr. DiPaul, and I think with their expertise in fundraising we should have no problem achieving our goal. I also hope to create a more inclusive and engaging environment for all students and not just those with traditional interests.

HB: What Harriton event are you looking the most forward to?

BB: The event that I am looking the most forward to is definitely Mr. Harriton. It is undeniably the biggest event at Harriton and this year will be the 10^th anniversary. We are planning on making it the best one yet.

HB: What would you like to see more from Harriton this year?

BB: This year I would like to see more school pride from the Harriton students. The student council is planning some amazing events and it is so easy to come out and support school events. The opportunities are there for our school to have a great sense of pride; the students simply need to support our school sponsored events. I would also like to see more freedom of expression from students in what they love. If you have a passion, propose a club. Our school really is a non-judgmental place and no one should feel suppressed from expressing themselves.

HB: How do you plan to have the student’s body voices be heard?

BB: We are working on creating an open channel of communication between the student council and the student body. We want the student body to know that our meetings are open to everyone and we have plenty of seats in all of our meetings. If anyone wants to bring up an issue they see in the school, we have an open forum during the last five minutes of each meeting. It is a great way for students to come and express their complaints so we can take care of them. We are also increasing the number of Google forms that we send out to the student body because we have found that it is the easiest way to reach the entire student body. We want to maintain online communication so anyone who has a problem can always be in touch with a student council officer.

HB: Do you have any words of wisdom for the freshmen class of 2020?

BB: Be yourself and follow your passions. If you try and be someone that you’re not, your high school experience won’t be authentic. Walk to the beat of your own drum. Also, introduce yourself to an upperclassman.

HB: What is a motto you live by?

BB: “You can do anything you set your mind to” –Ben Franklin

HB:Who do you look up to?

BB: Willie Marks.