It’s said that leaders need to be willing to serve to be able to lead, and seniors Oliva Oeth and Ethan Dunn know that better than anyone. They’ve been serving Millard West for the past couple years as officers in Student Council. Now, they’ll step up to lead as this year’s co-presidents.  

Dunn, motivated by a desire to take more of a leadership role in the school, joined Student Council his freshman year and served as vice president his junior year. He attends the bi-weekly meetings and plans some of the school’s biggest events while juggling his job as a cashier, AP and Honors classes and an interest in politics. 

Oeth joined Student Council her sophomore year and became an officer in the club the same year. She is also the president of Knitting Club and the president of French Club. 

The Student Council presidential candidates are elected each year by the entire council. Candidates give a short speech and then members cast their ballots for who they think would make the best leader. Individually, they both have unique leadership qualities.  Oeth considers herself to be assertive and confident. 

“I’m not afraid to take control and tell people what they need to hear,” Oeth said. 

Dunn prides himself on his more people-oriented approach. 

“I like to hear ideas from everyone and I’m good at organizing those ideas into a bigger picture that we can achieve in a timely manner,” Dunn said. “I’m a good listener and I try to get everyone involved” 

They both feel that they’re a good pair with complementary characteristics. 

“She’s good at the fine details and I like the bigger picture aspects,” Dunn said. “Olivia is good at making sure everything’s in place and all the details are hammered out.”

The two have been active in Student Council for a couple of years and have contributed to numerous events and campaigns such as the #BeKind campaign, homecoming, and Freshman Day speeches. Even with their years of experience, they can both agree that their favorite project was their most recent one. Over the summer, the pair joined forces to start a fundraiser for the crisis in Sudan. 

“I saw all the posts on Twitter about Sudan and how the people needed help,” Oeth said. “I wanted to do more than just sit back and retweet a few posts.”

After learning about widespread unrest in Sudan following human rights abuses by the government, Oeth and Dunn decided to come up with a plan to help. They ended up selling bracelets and running a garage sale and bake sale. With the help of other Student Council officers, they were able to raise around $200. That money went to the Sudan Relief Fund, an organization that provides volunteers, medical aid and shelter for victims of the crisis in Sudan. 

Since organizing the successful fundraiser, the co-presidents have been working on the upcoming Homecoming event. They’ve also been coming up with new ideas for some projects that are in the works and planning for upcoming meetings.  

The Student Council presidents have a lot of ideas and visions for the year. They have ambitious plans for this year’s Homecoming, Spirit Week and pep rally. Their focus this year is to bond with other council members and expand their outreach. 

“I want this to be an open space for everyone to contribute and have a good time,” Dunn said. 

Ultimately, Dunn and Oeth both want the Student Council to be a place for everyone to have fun, enjoy themselves and make a difference.