AHS Students Share Thoughts on School Committee Election Results
By Molly Borenstein
STAFF WRITER
In the wake of the recent close election for the school committee, ANDOVERVIEW reached out to a trio of first-time voters, all seniors, to reflect on the outcome, sharing their motivations and considerations in casting their votes.
People celebrate in the voting “Victory After Party.”
Nick Vaccaro, a senior and vice president of student government, expressed neutrality regarding the election results. “Both Diffenbach and Murray were considerate and smart members of the Student Government’s Forum,” Vaccao shared. “The candidates this year all ran great campaigns, and it was exciting to see so many fresh voices appeal to Andover for a spot.”
On March 21st, Student Government hosted a forum where students prepared questions to ask the candidates. All candidates were present and given time to speak directly to the club and any other students present about their campaign.
For Vaccaro, it was his first time filling out a ballot which motivated him to vote. “The major factor that contributed to my choice was definitely performance by candidates at the school committee forum,” he explained. “There, I could see each candidate at the personal level and hear what they were hoping to accomplish if elected.”
Michaela Buckley spoke about doing her own research. “After the strike, public approval seemed to sway far more in favor of the teachers union, so it makes sense that the union-endorsed candidates won,” she says. Buckley emphasized the importance of civic duty in motivating her to vote, stating, “It really excited me that my vote could have such an impact on election results (and therefore the town politics).”
Spencer Bleson, senior, expresses confidence in the candidates no matter the election outcome. “Even before the election, I think we had a great pool of candidates,” he said. “That being said, I am very excited to see how Diffenbach and Murray will be able to revitalize the School Committee and use their experience as teachers to bridge the gap between town government and the actual schools.”
Belson highlighted the ease of voting and the importance of representing student voices in his decision-making process. “Seeing as most students in APS are under 18, I voted to represent the voices of the students,” he says. Belson also adds, “It literally takes 5 minutes, so why not vote?
