In an effort to get to know the presidential runners of Scarsdale High School’s 2022 election season better, Maroon asked for statements from each candidate. From preserving snow days to improving board communication, these are their words.

Cindy Dedianous

“Hey SHS! My name is Cindy, and I yam super excited to be running for School President! I don’t know about you, but I’m currently flooded with end-of-quarter assignments. My goal is to create fun activities that enable us to find some peas and quiet among all the stress of SHS, like pairing testing week with Resting Week: five days of spending time with therapy dogs, getting free munchkins, and more! I’m also dedicated to making sure your voices are heard when the administration makes frustrating decisions like “virtual school on snow days” or “no food during common tutorial.” Romaine calm—there’s more! From Wifi, to parking, to bringing back a true Homecoming, I’m ready to make this year one we can all celery-brate 😄”

Matthew Barotz

“Hi everyone! I’m so excited to be one of your candidates for president this year, and if you vote for me, I’ll make sure to give you all the best year possible. I want to bring energy back to our school, just like what we had last year when we came back in person for the first time. I’m currently the school secretary, and I’ve started an initiative in the student government called the Peer-led Learning Plan, which would allow kids to teach a lesson on any topic they want in their classes. This proposal would help students pursue their passions and learn while still being able to have fun. I’ve also seen that one of the biggest issues in school right now is snow days. As president, I would advocate to use Zoom days only when absolutely necessary snow days are one of the few things about school we have left to enjoy. Being in student government for two years has given me crucial connections with administrators and shown me how to get these things done. So if you want to see real change in SHS this year, vote for Matthew Barotz!”

Anna Feldstein

“I’m 100% committed to making SHS the best it can be and ensuring that every student has the best possible experience. I’m a leader who has served in government since middle school. Last year as Class Vice President, I organized and motivated people during the challenges of hybrid learning. I co-founded the SYBA and organized food drives that assembled over a thousand food bags; and I currently serve as an SHS Peer Leader. I get the job done. I have many ideas to boost school spirit and help the broader community, including schoolwide challenges and special lunch days. I want everyone’s input. I would provide a number for you to text me directly, making it easy for you to contact your government. COVID brought many undesirable changes, but I see opportunity for SHS to become stronger and more spirited. I want to rebuild community, address students’ needs, and involve my classmates. I promise, I will do everything I can to make your vision reality.”

David Diao

“I believe I possess three major qualifications that will help me better serve our SHS community. 

First, experience. Having served three years as Class President, I have experience in leading a government, executing plans, and in communicating with administration. I have always strove to voice the  opinions of the student body and fight to have their voices heard.

Second, a plan. My goal is to create meaningful change that both improves our high school experience and the function of government. Helping the school government’s role as a communicator is one of my top priorities, bringing the concerns of students directly to the school as well as important information from the administration to the student body. Additionally, I believe there are many awesome events the school government can run and I have a lot of ideas in mind.

Third, initiative. Above all else, the most important quality of a candidate is their ability to take action. I believe that I am a candidate who is willing to not only speak about change but actually implement it and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together!”

Varun Bansal

“Hey everyone, I’m Varun Bansal and I’m running to be your next School President. Being school president means combining the need for fun and interactive events throughout the year, with meaningful change in the way Scarsdale High School is run and the policies we adopt. Quite simply, I’m here to make sure that what you want is what actually happens. As President, I’ll advocate to keep snow days instead of remote learning days, work on combating climate change, build school spirit, and give back to the community. At the same time, I know that school government is here to help make sure you have the best school year, no matter the circumstances. I know the last few years have been tough and we all miss just having normal school, so I’m going to do my best to make sure you get the best high school experience, whether that is going on field trips, doing club events, or watching sports games. If you have any suggestions or want to see more, follow my instagram @varun4president.”

Austin Flaster

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