On the afternoon of September 15, the 2021-2022 Grade-9 and Grade-10 ABS election was held at the Grand Auditorium. All the students gathered in the auditorium to listen to the well-prepared speeches made by their peers, listing out why they should be elected as an ASB member. This year, 24 students, 12 from each grade, participated in this election, and only 13 are going to qualify: six (6) from Grade 9 and seven (7) from Grade 10. Each participant made a 30-second video of their own unique style and gave a one-minute speech to persuade students to vote for them. At the end of the assembly, students also had 30 seconds to answer a random question, testing their ability to think on their feet.

Grade-9 candidates were all new to the high-school system of the ASB group, but still gave brilliantly-written speeches about how they wish to make the school better, talking about how they are worth the vote and how they truly care for the students of SHSID. All of them were very creative with their videos and showcased this by including their talents, photos of themselves, and past leadership experiences. All individuals in their videos and speeches incorporated their dreams of providing a better school environment. With an exciting new year and a transition from middle to high school, these students are willing to engage in conversations about activity organization and campus development.

Grade-10 candidates mainly spoke about how they would like to further improve the community and activities from last semester. Several of them were experienced ASB members in Grade 9 and believe that they can do more for students in SHSID. They noted how high-school life was not just about having a constant workload, but also about balancing academics with outside activities and enjoyment. Their experience in leading, planning, and communication was a motivation to vote for them.

To sum it all up, the quiet afternoon of a usual Wednesday was lightened up by the amazing speeches given by the high-school students. The results were published the next day, something all the students were in anticipation for. All candidates were extremely passionate and enthusiastic about this election; they knew that even if they were not chosen, they would still do their best for the SHSID community.

(Written by 9(9) Momoka Saigo Pictures by 10(10) Ray Zhou, 9(7) Coco Chen Supervised by Meijun Shi Reviewed by Qian Zuo)