Pinecrest Private School receives National Student Council Award

Made up of about fifteen 4th through 8th graders, the student council from Pinecrest Private School in Canyon Country received national recognition for their outstanding performance during the 2008-2009 school year. The students set out with the goal to impact both their school and the community, and as a result of their efforts, they received National Student Council Award.

Along with their approximate nine-to-one student-to-teacher ratio, one of the factors that the school believes makes their program unique is the effort that the students, teachers, and parents all contribute.

“The one thing that our school has is teamwork,” explains Iliana Faraldo, campus director of Pinecrest. “The ideas of teachers and students of what we can do in the community is amazing, and we actually do it.”

Beginning with student council elections, which imitated real elections, candidates carefully crafted their speeches while the student body registered to vote. After students submitted their ballots in voting booths, participants received stickers acknowledging that they had voted.

Once elected, the officers wasted no time in planning events for the year. Among numerous other activities, the kids eagerly participated in a coat drive, Relay For Life, and recycling programs. They also spent a day packaging boxes for Children’s Hunger Fund.

“It was great to see the older kids working with the younger kids to help people they would never even meet,” explained student council director Daniel Waybright.

To help raise funds for breast cancer research, over three quarters of the school participated in “Think Pink.” By the end of the day, the school had generated over $300 in a bake sale.

“They were not doing it for an award or a grade or anything,” Daniel stated. “The students just want to make the world a better place and help those who can’t help themselves.”

Led by teachers Daniel Waybright and Cam Woernley, the student council is proud of the work they accomplished and hope that next year’s program will be even better.