With the semester coming to an end and the holiday season arriving, El Estoque asked 2017 secretary Maddie Park and treasurer Alex Maertens to recap what happened this past semester, including homecoming and multiple fundraisers, as well as their plans for the new year, mainly junior prom.

El Estoque: What was your favorite part about being a class officer this year?

Alex Maertens: The night of the homecoming football game, we found out that we had won quad decs. It was really big for us because as a lot of people know quad decs is on the decline because of a lack of participation. However, it’s such a spectacular event that a moment like this has such a big impact. Since a lot of the work was done over summer for a long period of time by mainly our six officers and a few really dedicated students, we were really thrilled to see that all the work that we as a team were able to accomplish really represented our strengths as a group.

Maddie Park: I love rally days just because I love seeing everyone get so pumped up. As the smallest class, we’re at a small disadvantage, but I feel like our class knows that and they use that as motivation to try harder. I’m always surprised, every time.\

If we could step back and look at it, we’re stronger than ever before.

EE: How is this year different than last year in terms of class office?

AM: I think it’s different most importantly because we have a new member, [junior Christina Schuler]. She’s our IDC representative, which is a position that only the junior class office and ASB [have]. It’s really special to have another set of hands to work with, and [Schuler] brings a lot of enthusiasm to our washed up old selves.

MP: Also, the only thing that’s different about junior year is that the competition shifts from trying to beat the juniors to trying to beat the seniors.

AM: Being juniors, we have higher expectations for ourselves, which maybe we don’t always meet, but if we could step back and look at it, we’re stronger than ever before.

EE: How is it different being an upperclassman and having more commitments to juggle?

AM: Since we’re now worried about standardized tests and AP classes, it has affected our leadership a little bit, but I think the same thing goes for our entire class. We can identify with them on that kind of level since we are in the same position as a lot of them. We try and use that as motivation. You say you can’t do all these things, but we’re right here with you, and we can do this together.

EE: What are your goals for next semester?

MP: Definitely putting on a good junior prom since that’s the hallmark event of junior year. We really want to make it something special for everyone to enjoy.

AM: We [are] really proactive about planning junior prom. Before even the turn of the new year, we’re going to be promoting this event and really getting things to be the best it can be. The majority of our spending next semester is going to be for prom. We might have to modify some prices and compromise on decorations and be a little bit more resourceful and innovative, but hopefully that turns in our favor.