Good morning, Dublin High!

Today is election day, April 20th, 2023. Voting is underway for the Class of 2024, 2025, 2026, Associated Student Body, & School Site Council, with over 75 candidates running to represent Gaels at Dublin High.

But, we’ve left out one race that’s yet to be covered. School Board Representative. It’s arguably the most competitive race by far, with 18 different candidates, ranging from Freshmen to Juniors, running for the position. Here at the Dublin Shield, we believe it’s important for students learn more about their candidates, especially when electing a peer that will represent them on the local School board, at the minimum, and state level at the maximum. With Emerald High School expected to open up during the incoming Board Representative’s tenure, it’s imperative that we ask questions on how our Board Representative will face these upcoming challenges, and improve upon the overall education DUSD students receive.

Over the past week, 11 Candidates, Abhijoy Mukherjee, Anika Yu, Austin Meng, Danica Molnar, Gale (Pravarthika) Pabbisetty, Olivia Halim, Olivia Kong, Raman Arora, Sanjith Satish, Tarun Rajesh, and Tanisha Shanbhag have responded to our requests for questioning. The following below are their answers, with some responses abridged for readability.

Tell me about yourself, your grade, and why you’re running to be our next Student Board Representative.

Abhijoy: My name is Abhijoy Mukherjee, and I am a sophomore here at Dublin High School. I’m thrilled to be running for the Student Board Representative position as I believe that my experience, skills, and commitment make me an ideal candidate for this position. As a fellow student, I have always wanted to have a positive impact on my school’s community. If elected, I plan on prioritizing the needs of the students and speaking for their interests on the school board.

Anika: My name is Anika Yu and I’m a junior! I’m running to be the next SBR because I’ve always been passionate about making a change in our community, and I think the board rep position is the best, most visible, most impactful way to do it. Students spend more than 7 hours of their day at school, 5 days a week. I want to help everyone feel seen and be heard.

Austin: Hey Gaels! My name is Austin Meng, currently a high school sophomore. The main reason I’m running for school board is summed up by my quote from Robert Downey Jr: “I’m thinking of buying a monkey. Then I think, ‘Why stop at one?’”. And while I’m not entirely sure what he meant by that, I agree with his philosophy that our limits can only inhibit us if we allow them to. As your Student Board Rep, I want to push the position to new heights and figuratively buy more monkeys.

Danica: To start off, my name is Danica Molnar. I’m a part of the class of 2025 and I’m actually a transfer student! I transferred here late fall of 2021 during my freshman year and it was totally different from my old school, Moreau Catholic High. I was the co-curricular officer there and was elected one of the six class positions there. I’m a proud Wells Middle School graduate and was elected ASB Officer my final year. I’ve been acquainted with Katie Cheng since meeting her in leadership my sophomore year. I found it really admirable how much she cared for her community and the impact she had on students. These are acts that never go unnoticed. I went to one of the school board meetings in which Katie Cheng was there and seeing how my district played out in front of me was eye opening. It was so easy to connect to DUSD’s elementary schools and middle school through one meeting, I didn’t want to let the opportunity go.

Gale: I would define myself as an artist. I love creating things — whether that be music, poetry, stories, photos, paintings, or anything else. There’s something so captivating about watching your creations come together — I’ve been in love with that feeling for years. I also consider myself to be driven, articulate, and adaptable. Currently, I’m a freshman  — definitely younger than other candidates, but definitely not lacking in experience. I’m running for Student Board Representative because, simply put, I love my town. I want to make a difference and give back to the community I grew up in. There are so many gaps I see on the day-to-day and it would mean the world to me if I had the opportunity to act — to use the skills I’ve gained for something truly good.

Olivia H.: Hi my name is Olivia Halim, I’m a current Sophomore at Dublin High. As a fellow student, I understand the pressure and stress students are put under, as well as the importance of having a voice and being represented in the decisions that affect our education, which is why I decided to run for student board representative.

Olivia K.: Hi! My name is Olivia Kong and I’m a rising sophomore. I’m in Leadership, Model UN, Student Climate Corps, Curriculum Council, and CSF. I love being involved in the community, especially here at DHS. I’m a good listener and cat owner. While I do love DHS and the district, I continue to see issues arise that are overlooked by the board. Something needs to change, and I see myself bringing it. 

Raman: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country” ~ JFK

Hi, my name is Raman Arora, and for a 15-year-old sophomore at DHS, this quote may seem somewhat far-fetched, so I try to simplify it at a smaller scale: What can I at least do today to impact my community? I am dedicated to answer these questions daily, and by running to be your 23-24 student board representative, I intend on making a substantially positive impact on the student community across Dublin schools.

Sanjith: Hi! As you know, I’m Sanjith, and I am a freshman this year. I partake in many hobbies, but of them the ones I take a particular interest in are playing chess, reading, playing the piano and cricket. Specifically, I love reading about the medical field, biotech/biochemistry, and astrophysics. As of now, medicine is my career path, where I hope to one day be a anesthesiologist. The reason why I am running for this board position is because I naturally take the position of leader. This I have observed in school as well as in my extracurriculars. This position is one where I see I am the most useful. It is not that I force myself into this position, but rather the group I work with gives me this role. I find that I am able to give the guidance necessary to get the job done. Along with this, I want to run for this position because I want to leave an impact at my school. I want to make sure that I leave it better than it was when I got here. This position allows me to achieve this. It allows me to make sure that everyone’s voice is heard, and that the problems at our school are appropriately addressed.

Tarun: Hi Gaels, I’m Tarun Rajesh, a rising Sophomore at Dublin High School running to be you next Student Board Member. If there was one thing, I can say with confidence about myself, it would be that I am a leader. Before moving to Dublin in December of 2021, I served as the President of my school’ Energy and Sustainability Program. Through my leadership, we authored, advocated, and brought into effect one of the most progressive resolutions to curb the Fremont Unified School District’s plastic consumption and eventually transition the district to a zero waste to landfill entity. The Roosevelt Resolution, named after President Theodore Roosevelt, is the main focus for Student Climate Corps, a club at DHS, founded and led by me. The Student Climate Corps will be advocating for the adoption of the Roosevelt Resolution in the coming months.

Tanisha: Hello, my name is Tanisha Shanbhag, and I am a freshman at Dublin High. I’m running for the position of Student Board Representative with the goal of ensuring that every student in Dublin feels included and has equal opportunities to succeed academically.

Currently, what do you think is the *biggest* issue facing students in the District, and how will you address it as Board Representative?

Abhijoy: Currently, I believe that the most urgent issue facing students in the district is mental health. As academic competition and pressure continue to increase, students are left isolated, expected to excel in all that they do, and participate in numerous extracurricular activities. This growing competitive environment can take a toll on a student’s mental health as they struggle to keep up with the constantly shifting and increasingly difficult demands that they are faced with. While a competitive school environment can be beneficial in terms of motivating students to do well, it can also have the opposite effect by causing discouragement and increasing stress and anxiety. If elected, I will address this issue by expanding on the Wellness Center by making it more accessible to students as well as having more emphasis and importance given to the already existing mental health days and events. Also, it is important to understand that mental health is an issue that affects people of all ages, including elementary and middle school students. Providing mental health resources in these schools can help to address mental health concerns in the early stages, leading to having students that are already in tune with the proper ways to deal with stress and anxiety. It is imperative that we give mental health the priority that it deserves.

Anika: The causes I’ve been championing throughout my campaign have been sustainability and anti-racism. I want to urge the board to commit to a carbon-neutral deadline — as impossible as that sounds, California is supposed to be carbon neutral by 2045! I believe we should begin efforts to reduce our food waste and landfill trash. Also, I’d love to author or contribute to a guide/plan for anti-racism and cultural proficiency in our district, I think it’s so important to address the disparities we see in society and at school, and work to unlearn our own biases!

Austin: One of the biggest issues facing students in the District is the lack of proper academic counseling and support for students. We currently have a 1 to 400 student to counselor ratio, which prevents the counselor from getting to know the student personally and being able to respond to inquiries in a timely and meaningful way. I want to build a better support network for students and find a way to revise the counseling system. 

I also intend on increasing the number of classes students can take outside of Dublin High that will count for credit. Currently, the maximum is 4 that are eligible to be weighted, which significantly limits our educational opportunities. As Board Rep, I’ll advocate for raising the limit.

I also want to increase the connection between students and the Board of Trustees – while the Student Board Member acts as the liaison between the students and the Board, I want to expand ways in which students can voice their concerns to the Board through public comments and including student concerns and opinions in biweekly reports. I also intend to publish reports of each board meeting to the student body, ideally through the Dublin Shield or through StudentSquare.

Danica: From what I’ve heard around campus there are a few issues, i.e. school lunches, Wi-Fi, and closed bathrooms. Truthfully, there isn’t an easy way for every student (elementary to high school) to communicate what they feel are important issues. As a Board Representative, I’d bring those concerns forward. One way I want to change is to bring in polls that students have voted on to the board meetings. I think this will have a lasting effect on the board members and trustees. Having clear feedback from students is something I, as Board Representative, can build on to further the impact they can make on our school.

Gale: I think the biggest issue facing students in the District is one of small issues. DUSD is a great district, with tons of opportunities and resources. However, there are a lot of seemingly smaller issues that really pile up to make school a lot more difficult for students. For example, the school Wifi – something I would work on improving if I was elected – is usually slow and overloaded. In an increasingly digital world and workspace, this is a big problem. Students can’t finish as much work during school hours, leaving them to take more work home. There are a plethora of issues with this, from limiting students’ capabilities to explore their interests to causing disadvantaged students to not be able to complete their assignments. As Board Representative, I would address these issues by systematically improving upon each of the district’s weak points. I would do a lot of research into potential solutions for each of these issues and discuss them extensively with teachers, students, staff, and board members before proposing whichever solution is best. Things like improving the Wifi or the quality of school lunches seem like such small issues, but they truly pile up. By solving these smaller issues, we allow ourselves to tackle big ones as a united community with strong foundations.

Olivia H.: I’ve run into multiple issues with the way the district is able to handle student/teacher conflicts and I believe that along with basic but influential issues like school food/nutrition and internet are menial but important within the district. During my campaign I was able to really get to know what the student want through my Community Canvas that was set up at lunch near the student union. As Student board representative I plan to: Emphasize the students’ needs by creating safe platforms for them to express concerns on campus (like the Community Canvas), Create programs that benefit students’ mental health and overall school experience (a lot of notes spoke about stress and pressure and I plan to create committees/groups dedicated to this cause), and lastly, Advocate better communication between the board and the students in the district to resolve those teacher/student conflicts quicker and more efficiently.

Olivia K.: The biggest issue that students in DUSD are facing is a lack of the teen voice in local government. Although we have many programs and groups that can help teens become more involved in school and the city, we really don’t have a strong system where teens can create real change in the community through legislation. There is a disconnection between local government and teens, even though the government should be serving all members of the city. If I win, I plan on creating a clear system where teens can give their input into certain policies or plans, something as quick as filling out a Google form. I also want to create concise and digestible board meeting debriefs that students can go over and look at the outcomes of specific issues they are interested in.

Raman: I feel empowered to make a difference in the field of education because I empathize with student needs and have numerous peers in subjects such as math. However, being your representative can provide me a platform to ensure ALL students are provided with sufficient academic resources outside of the classroom by enhancing currently available resources such as the ARC as well as providing individualized and accessible support for elementary & middle school students. Additionally, I would like to create a district program where senior students and alumni can mentor middle and high schoolers to provide a chance for students to learn about one another’s experiences, actively gain advice and insight, as well as developing connections. I am excited to also lead initiatives such as the Student Advisory Council set by Tinni & Katie to truly gain insight into issues faced by students so I can make informed decisions at meetings.

Sanjith: Now the problem I believe is the biggest in our school is the inadequate Wifi connection. I may appear superficial in saying that the internet is the biggest problem at our school, but you must understand how big of a problem it is. From my experience, it has impeded with the presentations and videos my teachers show in order to teach us, it has caused issues for completing assignment, sometimes not allowing them to load altogether, and also prevented us from completing online tests. In fact, sometimes it resets all the progress we had so far on it. With this it is clear that such an obstacle to learning must be removed. We need a reliable connection to the internet so that we can successfully learn and complete our assignments at school. To address this, I hope to put out and convey how big of an issue this is, and ask for the necessary infrastructure to be implemented. It seems we have the resources necessary, we just have to use them. Though I am not sure what the cause is, be it the internet provider or the actual tech we are using, the problem should be identified and rectified.

Tarun: I am no outsider to local politics, for I’ve personally sat down and gained the endorsement of many public officials, including city council members and the mayor. If there is anyone that can effectively fight for us, it would be me. Here’s the big takeaway, Dublin students are SEVERELY UNDEREPRESENTED in administrative decisions taken by the district. Our students are educated and mature enough to decide what is the best for them. The district needs to atleast recognize our opinion when making changes to areas such as grading policy. For example, this year many Biology and English classes adopted the 4-point grading system, which was widely disapproved by students. Furthermore, students also express their concerns over critical courses such as Precalculus being a FLIPPED course. A flipped course is when a student has to learn the instruction material independently at home, and complete their “homework” in class. These changes in grading policy and class structure have created detrimental effects on students. But our cries for change have been ignored, and dismissed, for they are seen as nothing more than a part of growing up.

Tanisha: I believe that one of the most pressing issues facing students in our district is our grading system. Under the current system, students tend to focus more on their grades than on the learning process itself. To remedy this, I aim to create an academic environment that encourages students to focus on understanding the material rather than just earning good grades. I will work towards a grading system that rewards effort and progress rather than just test scores.

How will you manage current, and future, time commitments alongside preparing, attending, and speaking at biweekly board meetings as Board Rep.?

Abhijoy: Managing current and future time commitments, as well as being present for the responsibilities of a Student Board Representative, will not be a problem. I have always been an organized individual that has kept track of and prioritized the things I have found important. In this case, the responsibilities of being a student board representative will be my utmost priority. During my middle school years, I always saw my sister managing her time effectively as both a student, and as a board member, and have since gained valuable insight from her as an example.

Anika: Serving as board rep will definitely require serious time commitment, but I am up for it! I drive, so I will take care of my own transportation and I think that will save a lot of time between school, the office, and home. I am also always striving to complete my homework at school, before I get home.

Austin: If elected, school board would be one of my top priorities. Showing up to the meetings is the lightest part of the task – other commitments would include meeting with the superintendent, preparing for each meeting, and hearing student concerns to report to the Board. Of course, that won’t be easy to juggle on top of extracurriculars and academics – but if elected, I would block out specific time in my schedule to be wholly dedicated to the position. 

I’m familiar with balancing a heavy schedule – between serving on the Dublin Mayor’s Council, preparing for debate, and leading projects or hosting events. I can handle a lot on my plate, and I enjoy having a busy schedule if it means making an impact – so taking on School Board won’t be an issue. I’m absolutely willing to make the sacrifice on spending more time to fulfill my responsibilities as School Board Rep.

I’m quite used to committee or club meetings taking a lot longer than previously scheduled – so I don’t expect to be all that fazed by lengthy evening meetings. I suppose I will need a few red bulls to keep up, however.

Danica: In the past, I have attended a school board meeting that lasted three hours. Katie Cheng told me about a meeting that lasted until around 1:30 am, so I am aware of the possible long hours. While I do I have other commitments on the same day like Var. Dance team practice, attending and being present at these meetings are important to me and will always take first priority.

Gale: Time management is obviously one of the hardest parts of working as Board Representative. Keeping up with classes, extracurriculars, self-care, and socializing along with attending board meetings and being a successful representative of the community is a Herculean task, but challenge isn’t something I run from. As with everything, there needs to be a balance — planning and spontaneity, work and play, pushing forward and taking breaks. I would prioritize my tasks based on urgency and importance, then plan accordingly. Breaking up large tasks into small portions is another strategy I would employ to stay on top of things. 8 hours of working is a lot for one day, but 30 minutes each day over 16 days isn’t a challenge. Consistency is everything, and I would consistently put in the effort to be a balanced, healthy individual while being a communicative and thoughtful Representative. Most of all, I know I can do this because I love what I’m doing. Working as Board Rep. — working with my people and making a change — would be a dream come true. No matter how time consuming or difficult it may get, I would never grow tired of it. I would always be working to do the job well, without compromising anything else I care about — school, friends, or otherwise.

Olivia H.: If I am elected as student board representative, my goal is to be able to prioritize the student’s needs and opinions before anything else. I am fully dedicated to assisting the student body and really creating a solid connection between the adults and students of the district. I plan to allocate time each day to dedicate to the position of student board representative in order to ensure maximum responsibility and time management. Even though the student rep can leave meetings early, another one of my goals is to be fully present at them and stay for as long as it runs.

Olivia K.: I am a very organized person and often use a planner to keep track of any events or tasks. I don’t play any sports, something that Katie Cheng strongly advised we do so we can properly manage our time between work and board meetings. I plan on making this one of my top priorities and dedicating as much time as possible to the cause.

Raman: As I have minimal obstructing activities during the week, I am committed to not only speak at and attend board meetings, but to consult with DUSD officials and visit other schools outside of meetings. 

Sanjith: Regarding time management, it will be difficult to ration already scarce time. It seems that I must prioritize preparing for board meeting over my extracurriculars, so I may have to let some go if I am elected. I am completely ready to sacrifice this for the better of the school and it’s students because I believe everyone should deserve the best.

Tarun: No response was provided for this question.

Tanisha: In terms of managing my commitments, I believe that efficient planning is key. I have been using a planner since a young age and I schedule my day with extra time after each event or activity, which allows me to be flexible and rest when necessary. I will use my Gael period and wake up early to complete my work so that I can be fully prepared and engaged during meetings.

Outgoing Student Board Representative Katie Cheng added many new opportunities for students to participate in District affairs. To what extent will you continue to run, or expand upon, her initiatives, especially with Emerald High opening up during your tenure as Board Rep.?

    – Adding on from above, have you either attended a School Board Meeting or one of Board Rep. Cheng’s informative meetings?

Abhijoy: I will continue to compliment Student Board Representative Katie Cheng’s contributions by doing things such as expanding on her Student Forums, and continue to help propose and pass district policies that benefit the students. As Emerald High School opens, the responsibility of the Student Board Representative increases. I will do my best to make sure that future students at Emerald High, as well as other schools in the district, are given the same opportunities and resources.

– I have attended numerous School Board meetings during Former – Student Board Representative Tinni Mukherjee’s term. I have also attended Board Rep. Cheng’s virtual board meetings and livestreams.

Anika: I was so excited when I first heard about Katie’s elementary student advisory councils and school visits! I’ve been in DUSD since the first grade, and attending Dublin Elementary School definitely created a lot of precious memories for me and played an integral role in shaping who I am today. So the visits to leadership at elementary and middle schools are definitely something I’d love to continue. Continuing with the theme of advisory councils, with enough interest, I’d love to start a climate action council and DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) council to help further the aforementioned causes.

– And yes, I attended the board meeting around three weeks before, as well as the two other meetings Katie held at school.

Austin: I’ll continue to run the initiatives she’s taken over as is. I was previously thinking about creating a Student Board position for the Emerald High students, but this is currently unfeasible. My plan would be to assemble a committee for elected Emerald High students to meet biweekly or monthly to review concerns at Emerald High. Similar committees exist at elementary and middle schools, which is how our current incumbent Board Rep. Cheng heard of the idea to install gender-inclusive bathrooms on new campuses. 

– Yes, I have attended all of Board Rep. Cheng’s informative meetings. I intended a School Board meeting three weeks ago, where I observed the general process of a regular board meeting and noted Board Rep. Cheng’s responsibility of sharing a student report of Dublin High’s current events.

– However, the most impactful School Board meeting I watched was during Board Rep. Tinni Mukherjee’s tenure in 2020, during which she advocated fiercely for a pass/fail policy after the District went to distance learning. If it weren’t for her, it’s difficult to say if the District would have adopted a pass/fail system. I was touched by her speech and it helped me realize how impactful the Student Board Rep position is. I hope to emulate her and Board Rep. Cheng’s leadership in voicing student interests.

Danica: One of the initiatives that I will continue is visiting DUSD elementary and middle schools to give presentations and get insights from students about important topics that will be useful feedback for board members and trustees during meetings. With regard to the new Emerald High opening, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with students, just as I would with Dublin.

– I have attended all of Katie Cheng’s meetings and found them informative and insightful which helped me to know what the position would entail in the future. Knowing that made me want to run for this position even more.

Gale: I have an endless amount of respect and appreciation for the opportunities that Board Rep. Cheng has added for students in the past few years. Her initiatives were what, in part, inspired me to run for Board Rep. in the first place. Continuing to manage and expanding upon her initiatives would be a privilege and an honor. I would love to carry her work into Emerald High as well. I want to cultivate a community where students can involve themselves in District affairs — where we can all work together as a community and individuals can use their talents to contribute to our collective betterment. Katie Cheng’s work is the foundation for that dream. Continuing it would be both my duty and my dream. 

– I’ve attended multiple of Board Rep. Cheng’s informative meetings and, while I haven’t been able to attend a Board Meeting in person yet, I have watched several of the archived videos.

Olivia H.: Taking up Katie’s mantle will be a very difficult task, however my plan of action is to expand upon the topics that differ from what Katie has already established. One of the biggest topics in my campaign is mental health. Sure the Wellness center is available but the resources are never well publicized and student are unwilling to walk all the way to the facility. Knowing this, I plan to creat committees and groups that bring greater awareness to the importance of mental health. Unfortunately just last year there was an extremely sad event at our school, and we are able to address and promote the topic of mental well-being, we as a community can minimize the extent of mental health issues. That is simply one example of the ideas of programs Katie’s successor can act upon. We can also implement these values early into Emerald High’s opening! Making the Wellness Center more accessible and well known in a new school will definitely impact the student body’s reaction to it.

– I attended all of Katie’s info meetings as well as the Student Board Meeting that occurred during the position’s informational time period.

Olivia K.: I plan on continuing to run all of the programs and initiatives that Katie Cheng has begun. Furthermore, I plan on increasing the amount of impact and collaboration that these initiatives have with the DUSD board and even to the city board, such as the Mayor’s Council and Youth Advisory Committee, possibly through legislation. I also want to put students into committees such as Grading Equity so the student opinion can be shared beyond teachers and the student board rep. I don’t plan on creating too many more new initiatives, but, rather, expanding the solid foundations of the ones already created.

– I have attended all three of the informational meetings and one in-person board meeting. They were very informative and gave great insight on school policy and board meetings in general.

Raman: I am excited to also lead initiatives such as the Student Advisory Council set by Tinni & Katie to truly gain insight into issues faced by students so I can make informed decisions at meetings.

– As I have attended and watched several board meetings already, I am fully aware of my responsibilities and am dedicated to making this position my top priority.

Sanjith: As for the committees that Katie Cheng has started, I believe these are a great supplement to our school. Continuing to have these would be great for our school, but I may have to see if some of the clubs are nonessential. If they are, perhaps they can be disbanded, and a more necessitated committee can be formed. Reaching out and working with Emerald High is also something I hope to do. Sharing ideas between two different schools allows diverse viewpoints to be exchanged freely, increasing the diversity of our ideas our both the schools. It is as important to take care of our school as it is to care for Emerald High.

– I have been inspired by Katie Cheng to be the best I can for this school, and I [have] attended an online broadcast of a board meeting to see how the experience would be.

Tarun: No response was provided for this question.

Tanisha: I am inspired by the impact that Katie has made on our district, and I hope to build on her ideas while contributing my own to create an exciting and inclusive environment for all students, including those at Emerald High. Although School Board Meetings can be tedious at times, I find certain discussions eye-opening and thought-provoking.

– I have attended one such meeting before, as well as two of Katie’s informative meetings about the position and the board itself.

Is there anything else you’d like to add? (Optional Question)

Abhijoy: Empowering student voices is my top priority. For those reading, feel free to reach out to me with any questions, ideas, or needs.

Anika: Lastly, I’d just like to say that I’m excited and nervous at the possibility of being able to serve as school board rep! Our district has expanded so much in the past decade and I love going to school here, which is why it’s even more important to me that I do a really good job if I am elected. Thank you to everyone who has supported me and will vote for me.

Austin: If elected, I would commit to myself for advocating on behalf of all of you. The student board position is the best way to present student concerns at the district level. And being your representative is the best way for me to become an agent of change in expressing YOUR ideas to the Board. As a national debater familiar with the ins-and-outs of policymaking, you can trust me to advocate on your behalf. I hope you’ll allow me to push the position as School Board Rep – and figuratively “buy more monkeys”.

Gale: I’ve been running a poll on the issues that are most relevant to DUSD because I want to know what issues are important to the students of DUSD. I’d love to have more responses and data to work with, so go fill out the form! The link is tinyurl.com/galeforgaels or you can scan one of the QR codes on my posters. Remember to vote Gale for your Board Rep. and have a lovely day!

Olivia H.: One more thing I would like to add is that to me, action is the most important part of my campaign. Talking is easy, but when it comes down to proving your worth, actions speak louder than words. Not just within the election time, but within clubs and organizations as well. I would like to count this as a psa, that even if I do not win the position of student board representative, I strive to achieve these goals through my club and personal abilities.

Sanjith: I strongly believe that it is time for change, change for the better. I an willing to give my all to ensure that no Gael is unhappy with their school. This is my promise, and I hope to fulfill it as your School Board Representative.

Tanisha: If elected, I am confident that I will achieve all of the tasks listed in my speech and work tirelessly to create a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment for all students in Dublin to enjoy for years to come.

Author’s Note: Thank you to all the candidates that replied! Had tons of fun writing this article, and I hope it’ll assist fellow students in voting for our next School Board Representative. Ballots can be found on your mydusd.org email or on Dublin High School’s StudentSquare. Voting began at 12:00 AM this Thursday, and will continue until to 4:00 PM. Best of luck to all candidates, and go vote!

Candidates Ahmad, Baskar, Dalal, Gannavarapu, Gupta, Morton, and Sagare, did not respond to our requests for comments. Instead, their campaign statements can be found here.