It Is A Busy Fall For WHS Student Council

Westwood High School’s Student Council is preparing for a very busy couple of months. Preschool Trick or Treating, a Halloween Candy Drive for the troops, a coat drive with the Norfolk County Sheriff's office, Spirit Week, and Homecoming are all in the next two months.

“Fall is super busy for Student Council,” says senior Diana Bezdedeanu. She serves as one of the club’s four leadership officers.

The Winter Coat Drive is taking place now. Boxes for coats are at the entrance to Westwood High School. Each grade has a box. Bezdedeanu reports that the Senior class is in first place at the moment. The winning grade will have dessert following the Pep Rally the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Faculty advisor Sally Patton notes that her criminal justice students meet with Norfolk County sheriff and Westwood resident Jerry McDermott annually. WHS joining in the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office's coat drive, which other local schools participate in, seemed like a logical move to Patton.

On Halloween, preschool students in costume trick-or-treat from classroom to classroom at WHS. They receive non-candy treats sponsored by WHS Student Council.

From November 1 to November 6, WHS Student Council will be collecting leftover Halloween candy. The collected candy will be sent to troops serving overseas. This collection is a competition among all Westwood High School homerooms. The homeroom that collects the most candy will receive a free breakfast. “We’ve held the candy drive the past three years, and it has gone well,” says Patton.

Westwood High’s Spirit Week will be from November 18-November 22. “I am most looking forward to the junior/senior Powder Puff game on Thursday,” Bezdedeanu reports. WHS’ football captain prepares the Powder Puff participants for the game. Bezdedeanu points out that Powder Puff is one of Spirit Week’s longest standing traditions, and students of any gender may play in the game. Junior Caroline Woodard’s favorite Spirit Week event is Twin Day.

Bezdedeanu’s mother, Paula Bezdedeanu, owns florist Paula’s Blooming Hope. Through November 15, twenty percent of sales of centerpieces ($39.99) and vase arrangements ($49.99), will be donated to WHS Student Council.

Bezdedeanu has been involved with WHS Student Council since her freshman year. She and Patton both reported that it is one of WHS’ larger clubs, with approximately one hundred members. It is a club where students can drop in at each weekly meeting, which generally has around forty members in attendance. Bezdedeanu says she is looking forward to December’s holiday cookie decorating and February’s Spread the Love Student Council events as well.

Woodard has been involved with WHS Student Council for three years. She says she is most looking forward to the Homecoming Dance, its theme will be “Black, White, and Gold.” The Homecoming Dance is now modeled after prom. According to Woodard, this change has led to more students attending the dance.

School-wide input in their student council has been emphasized this year, according to Bezdedeanu. “[WHS Student Council] sent out an email to the whole school to vote on a Homecoming theme. Of a school of one thousand students, over four hundred voted.” Patton speaks positively of WHS Student Council’s members. “WHS Student Council should be whatever the students want it to be.”

If a WHS student wants to become involved with Student Council, they can attend any meeting afterschool on Thursdays in room A11, or email Ms. Patton.