Editor’s Note: The opinion in this article is that of the author. The Current welcomes diverse opinions and perspectives on Potomac. Do you want your opinion to be featured? Email the Editors-In-Chief!
On Wednesday, May 13, the Upper School student body listened to speeches from candidates for Student Body President, Vice President, and Treasurer for the 2026-2027 school year. Speeches ranged from Bruno Mars to Hercules, and everything in between.
What really struck me were the achievements the candidates presented in their speeches. Most had previously served in SGA and enthusiastically told us about the initiatives and projects they worked on during their time in leadership.
However, I had no background knowledge of the work SGA had done over the past year. While I am certainly not accusing candidates of lying, I know I would appreciate some proof—if for no other reason than to be able to look back and remember what they said they worked on. As a general student body, we have a very limited view of what goes on within SGA. We have no consistent and centralized record of initiatives, discussions, or ideas. The only things shared with us are the projects that are successful.
We never hear about ideas that aren’t implemented, which gives the student body a skewed and incomplete view of the SGA system. The general justification for this policy is that ongoing projects are just that: ongoing and not ready to be shared with the community. This system gives the student body little say in what our student government is doing, thereby decreasing their accountability for getting it done.
Additionally, credit surrounding successful projects is confusing to say the least. Without a written record of who is doing what, it almost feels like any member of SGA can tack their name onto a project. So many people have claimed responsibility for projects and events such as the Fall, Winter, and Spring Fests; the ongoing push for blue jeans; or smaller, grade-wide events.
This system of communication feels as though it creates accountability only for success. I believe our student government should be strong enough to share its failures alongside its accomplishments. If someone earns the title of “Student Body President,” they should be able to consistently inform the student body of their progress. Our knowledge of their plans should not come entirely from a three-minute speech in May.
Potomac is an institution that promotes and fosters knowledge. On the Potomac school website, we state: “At Potomac, we empower our students to become independent thinkers and learners by emphasizing the rewards of inquiry, initiative, and reflection.” In order to become independent and informed thinkers, we need information. We should know who worked on what, when they worked on it, and what came from those efforts in order to make an educated vote in these elections. More detailed information will also allow us to more easily hold the elected representatives accountable for their promises.
Many speeches this year—and in years prior—contained something to the effect of, “I will listen to your ideas, because that is what a good leader does.” However, another crucial part of leadership is communication. Without communication, SGA no longer feels like a student government, but rather a covert student initiatives group. A lack of communication creates a divide between the students investing their time to help the community and the rest of the student body. Poor communication leads to less transparency, which in turn separates SGA from the students they are representing. At a certain point, the value of SGA itself comes into question.
If you are a member of SGA reading this right now, flabbergasted by my previous statement, mentally compiling a list of all the things that SGA does every day, then share that list. I am not writing this to discredit SGA, but rather to share my opinions on how our student government can improve. A good leadership system is one that helps people understand what is being done, and what needs to improve.
To be completely honest, I do not have the perfect solution to this problem, but I believe it is worth bringing to light. Maybe SGA could write a biweekly newsletter or submit regular articles to The Current that gives students insight into ongoing projects. Perhaps meeting notes could periodically be shared with the student body. Regardless, more consistent communication would help bridge the gap between the student government and the students.
With that being said, I am excited to see (and, hopefully, be informed about) what our newly elected student government accomplishes next year.
