Time really flies! It is, yet again, that time of year in which the Tualatin High School Associated Student Body (ASB) elections have taken place, resulting in a transition of leadership as well as a bittersweet goodbye to this year’s Senior Class officers. 

On Friday, May 7, election results were announced via Tualatin ASB’s Instagram (@tualatinasb). The incoming class officers for the 2021-2022 school year are listed below.

Sophomore Class Officers:

• Amity Humphrey
• Elizabeth Graham
• Frida Ruiz
• Henry Findtner
• Kevin Jiricek
• Olivia Trone
• Simon Phipps
• Taelata-I-Siumalu Fusitu’a

Junior Class Officers:

• Aaron Lakeman
• Amanda Fronczak
• David Jones
• Jonathan Mercado
• Lianna Smith
• Molly Miller
• Naasei Lynn
• Sarah Craner

Senior Class Officers:

• Braquelle Blanchard
• Noah Gilbertson
• Amanda Jiricek
• Jacob Fitzpatrick
• Samantha Ramos
• Janani Romero
• Lacey Thurley
• Emily Phuong Tran

Together, the 24 aforementioned student leaders, in addition to the 8 to-be-announced Freshman Class officers, will make up the next Tualatin ASB class. This group of 32 elected individuals will function as the student government and make it their main obligation to represent the voices of the student body. In addition, the leadership class will also be responsible for creating fun and engaging events for students through managing clubs, organizing assemblies, planning dances and promoting school spirit. 

As this year’s graduating ASB officers finish off their last term and pass the “baton” to next year’s Senior Class representatives, The Wolf interviewed seniors Dylan Nguyen, Aurora Davis, Raymond Arias, Shea Carlberg and Darian Miranda Olivas, along with re-elected juniors Emily Phuong Tran, Janani Romero, Braquelle Blanchard, Samantha Ramos Leonardo and Lacey Thurley — asking the seniors to reflect upon their time in ASB and the juniors to see what they are looking forward to for their final year.  

Q: For seniors, what has ASB meant to you during your time as an officer? 

Nguyen: “ASB has meant a lot to me. To start it off, they are my second family, my home away from home. I have made lifelong friendships that I am so grateful for. Each and every student within ASB has a bond that nobody else would be able to describe. The group of 32 students are so unique yet are so similar, and that is why ASB works; everybody has that leadership ability and a strong mindset yet brings something unique of their own to the table to make ASB special.  The past four years spent with each class, I have learned so much about being a family member, student and leader. Not everyone is able to experience what it is like within ASB, and I am so grateful to have been re-elected each year to be the voice and to stand up for the student body of Tualatin High School.”

Davis: “ASB has meant so much to me (way more than I expected running for the first time in eighth grade). Getting to learn from and bond with such a passionate, genuinely kind, fun and uniquely amazing group of people is something I am incredibly grateful for and probably cannot describe in a way that does it justice. On top of that, getting to work with such an inspiring group to (hopefully) add value to people’s high school experience makes being a part of ASB a fulfilling and uplifting experience in a way that is unlike anything else I’ve been a part of.”

Arias: “ASB has meant everything to me. For three years it gave me the opportunity to serve my peers, explore my passion of community-organizing and develop bonds with individuals that I will forever be friends with. It taught me to be a more mindful and inclusive person, ever-present to the impact of my actions and words.”

Carlberg: “ASB has allowed me to grow and understand the qualities that make a true leader and the ways in which each and every member of a group can improve in order to be more effective leaders and supporters. Each year has felt different, but in a unique and exciting way. I can’t imagine the person I would be without this class and the memories it has created for me. I am forever grateful to have been a part of such a humbling and spirited community. When you walk into this room or onto a call with these people, you find so many different personalities put together to spark movement in others. It has been an incredible and rewarding experience working alongside such creative people, with a surprising amount of similarities.”

Miranda: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a place of growth, it was a place of withering. I’m someone who likes to reflect upon my experiences and I believe that ASB has allowed me to learn a lot about myself and the people around me.”

Q: For seniors, what is one legacy you hope this ASB class leaves behind? 

Nguyen: “The one legacy I hope the Class of 2021 ASB officers leave behind is one of perseverance and grit. As freshmen, we expected to live four normal years of high school but were struck with COVID-19 mid-way through our junior year. From that point to now (graduation), there have been many points in ASB when we needed to adapt and overcome. We had many things we had to adjust to. We just had to keep moving on and execute what we could for the student body. I hope that message of perseverance teaches the classes below us that whatever strikes you, no matter how difficult, just keep moving.”

Davis: “One legacy I hope this ASB class leaves behind is that regardless of circumstances, people can find ways to connect and lift up one another. Even if unconventional, I hope ASB will continue to adapt to changing circumstances with the goals of bringing the student body together, lifting school spirits, reaching out to each student group and highlighting what each student has to contribute.”

Arias: “The legacy this class will leave to me is one of supreme quality both in character and leadership. It’s unfortunate that we were unable to display it much after the pandemic, but I know it’ll show true in a couple years time in the endeavors we take up. I look forward to the day on which we’ll reunite and reminisce on the memories made.”

Carlberg: “To know what battle is worth fighting for and when it’s okay to stop. With every new circumstance that has been handed to us this past year, resilience has been key in helping us push through. We have had to make decisions that constrain our efforts to bring our community together. But through it all, we developed a more evolved way of brainstorming and communicating that gives us strength. We have put our best foot forward as we are dealt the worst hands.”

Miranda: “The ability to question. Why do we do this event? Who is attending the event? How can we make Dellerba happy? What events do we need to discontinue? Thinking and discussing ASB events is the only way to learn and grow.”

Q: For seniors, any words of advice for the next generations of ASB officers?

Nguyen: “Words of advice for the next generation of ASB officers below me are that you need to soak up every year of high school and ASB as much as you can. Time flies fast, trust me. These past four years have meant the world to me and I would not want to go back and change it at all. Make the most of it, have fun, enjoy high school, enjoy your time with your friends and, most importantly, spend time with your parents and siblings because you’ll be out of here in a blink of an eye. Have fun and don’t forget, be you, keep running the show and represent Tualatin High.”

Davis: “Words of advice for next generations of ASB officers are to not let yourself get too comfortable in ASB with the same ‘routine,’ focus, idea, people, etc. in order to strive for some kind of lasting change. Do your best to remind yourself to be grateful for the opportunity each time you come to ASB and to make the most out of it you can — strive to make a meaningful contribution each day, no matter what that may mean for you (telling a joke, bringing a new idea, contributing energy, making a poster, talking with someone new, etc.). Do your best to look at each event/thing you do from the perspective of each group of the student body and how the event/thing may or may not serve or be received by them. Do your best to question old and new ideas. Do your best to bond with as many people in ASB as you can. Then, if out of those efforts, you find an opportunity for a new idea, change or opportunity for growth, go for it! Basically, take in as much as you can, bond with these amazing people as much as you can and give as much as you can because it goes by fast, and I think there’s something to love and to learn in every part of it.”

Arias: “If there’s one piece of advice I would give to the next generation of ASB officers, it would be to embrace your quirks and unique-ness. There is no perfect model to being a leader and you should never think there is. Work hard and take pride in serving the students of Tualatin High School to the best of your ability. Most importantly though, enjoy and cherish your time.”

Carlberg: “Don’t do things just to put it on for show. Plan events and collaborate with classmates because you genuinely have a passion for what you are creating for others, not for the resume. ASB is nothing without the energy that the group brings, and it makes it so much more fulfilling when you pour your heart into activities that bring a sense of purpose and community to others in return. People can denote the difference between leaders who are authentic and those who are not.”

Miranda: “The bag can be almost anything. An event. An idea. A grade. A job. Mental health. Hope. Forgiveness. The only thing that the bag cannot be is unsecured. Go do something that your future self will thank you for.”

Q: To our juniors, what do you plan on accomplishing in your last year as a TuHS student and ASB officer? How do you hope to fill the shoes of the current senior officers?

Tran: “I’m hoping we can get our first real Unity Day done. It’s a collaborative effort between Tigard and Tualatin high schools, a day full of student-led workshops to talk about equity and inclusion. I’m excited to see the impact it brings to our student body as we work towards building a more tolerant, welcoming community.”

Romero: “In my last year on ASB, my goal is to use my position as Media Director to communicate or collaborate with other clubs and arts. We are a huge sports school and that’s great, but I feel like our clubs and arts programs deserve the same amount of attention. Promoting the extracurriculars that take place in our school and honoring each and every one. Promoting all the different cultures and ethnic backgrounds that make up Tualatin. … Abbey Lakeman, Lupita Ruiz, Grace Clary… my Communications, Media and Publicity Directors have trained me well. Can’t wait to fill their shoes by using what they’ve taught me and make them proud this upcoming year.” 

Blanchard: “In my last year on ASB I hope to help bring back our Tualatin High School spirit. As Dances Director next year, my ideal goal is to plan some memorable dances for the student body. As of now, we don’t really know what the possibility for dances looks like next year, but I will work with whatever we get.”

Ramos: “I plan to bring together the Class of ‘22 the closest it’s ever been. We’ve been through a lot together, which only helps us strengthen our bond. I want to make sure every single person feels included and heard. As an ASB officer, I plan on making up the memories we lost. It won’t be an easy process, but I hope we can all work together and make it an unforgettable year.”

Thurley: “In my last year as an ASB officer, I hope to make unforgettable memories with my best friends. This last year has been hard for the student body at TuHS, but I hope that I can make Timberwolf Nation stronger than ever through spirit. Spirit within the student body equates to a more unified class – something I am looking to support for our last year at Tualatin. Filling the shoes of the seniors will be hard, but I feel like they have prepared us for the leadership roles within ASB. It is scary knowing that I will be leading a directorship, but I know that all the past directors are always willing to help.”

The Wolf sends its congratulations to the 2021-2022 class officers, kudos to all who campaigned for one of the eight spots for their grade and gratitude to the current Senior Class officers who will be graduating with the Class of 2021 in just a few short weeks.

Learn more about Tualatin High School ASB at the official website.