Why do you want to run for student council speech

So you feel that you have what it takes to be part of your student council in your school. You got the guts, responsibility, wit, and charm to grab the position you are vying for from other students who are as qualified as you. Even if you are sure of yourself, you need to convince every student in your school that will be an effective officer if you are elected. And one way to convince your fellow students to vote for you is through your speech. You may also see appreciation speech.

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When writing a student council speech, you must be able to persuade your schoolmates to trust in your abilities and your platforms. (If you need more tips on writing persuasive speeches, see this one). Remember, you are not running just for popularity votes or to earn yourself a good credential in your achievements. You are running for a certain position (whether you’ll be a president, treasurer, secretary, etc.) to serve the student body, to represent them when they want their needs to be attended to and to make better changes in your school. So first you need to make your speech sound persuasive, but not aggressive. Start writing your speech weeks ahead before you deliver your speech.

Writing the Speech

Introduction

1. This is the most nerve-wracking part of your speech. So this part must be a good, no, great one. If for examples. you’re running for student council president don’t start just by merely introducing your name and telling them you are running for student council. You need to start your speech with a bang! Something that can catch the attention of your audience. Students are usually inattentive during these kinds of speeches so you need them to focus towards you. There are lots of creative ways to make a flashy opening. You can sing, rap, dance, act, do some comedy sketches, or anything that relates to the theme of your speech. However if you do not feel like performing live, you can still do some creative opening. You can use videos, power point presentation, music, or ask your friends to introduce you. You may also see introduction speech.

You can also open your speech by asking a question, whether if it is rhetorical or humorous. Here are some examples:

“So here is this person standing infront of you, asking you to for her. Why should you? You ask.”
“If there’s anything you can do something for the school to make it loads better, what will it be?”

You can also add quotes from famous people that correlates with your speech. Make sure you cite your quotes properly. Here are some examples of quotes from well known people that you can cite:

“Leadership is not about the next election. It’s about the next generation.” Simon Sinek

“I think leadership is service and there is power in that giving: to help people, to inspire, and motivate them to reach their fullest potential.” Denise Morrison

“You need an attitude of service. You’re not just serving yourself. You’re helping others to grow up and grow with them.” David Green

2. After your awesome introduction, you then proceed to state all about yourself. Describe yourself, the position you are running for and the reason why you are running. Tell your name and your grade in your school. This is important if you go to a school with a big population. Don’t ever skip this part of speech as this will be what the audience should remember when it’s time to vote for you. You may also see thank you speech.

No need to elaborate in this part of speech. A brief 1-2 sentences are enough. Example:

“Hello. My name is John Cheese and I will be running for President! My vision is change for the betterment of our school. I fight for equality for all the students in this institution.”

3. Next is the part where you will sell yourself by mentioning your qualifications. This is one way to persuade your fellow students that you are responsible enough to be part of the student council. Mention any accomplishments that are related to the position your are running for.

If you’re running for president, don’t list your accomplishments in stamp collecting. The accomplishments that you should cite are your leadership skills, whether you are the team captain of your football team or you’re the major in your drum and lyre corp. You can also mention your honors and awards. You may also see speech templates.

“I am currently the team captain of our baseball team and I have also been a member of the Boy Scouts. Currently, I am the president of our drama club.  I have also been an honor roll student for the past five years. I have been exposed to a lot of leadership training skills and I believe I am most qualified to be an efficient president in the student council.”  

Writing the main point of your speech

Now that you have organize your introduction, it’s time to get to your ideas and how you should present them in front of the student body. This is the part where you will enumerate your platforms on how to improve the system in your school. Make sure that when you have laid out your platforms to the students you made some research. Ask the students, teachers, personnel on what areas that you should be improved.

Listen to what the students are concerned about. What are the changes that the students may want to see? What areas in your school you want to change to keep it running efficiently? You can also research ways on how to deal with school problems. Read books and ask some experts to help you. And find out how you, a member of the student council can address these problems. Once you already knew this, you will know what will be your platforms. A nice opening statement is to state out the causes that are important to you and what are your plans to make it better. You may also see special occasion speech.

Example:

“Bullying and discrimination has been more prevalent in this institution for the past year. As a student, I am disappointed that some of my fellow schoolmates has been the forerunners of this ugly way of treating people. And because of this, I would work out to invite speakers to talk about sensitivity in school, open more clubs for students to join, and start a tutorial program to aid students who are having a hard time in their classes.”

Keep in mind that you need to present your ideas briefly but persuasive enough to move your audience. If you need an inspiration, refer to Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. His speech was short but full of key points that got his message across to his audience. You may also see self introduction speech.

End it with a memorable conclusion

1. Once you’ve stated your ideas effectively, it’s time for your conclusion. When you get there, go back to mention your plans as a president or a treasurer and relate it to your main points that you’ve mentioned a while ago. You may also see speech examples for students.

“With my experience in leadership training and in my service to my team members, I know I can be a great leader to each of you. I promise to do my best to stop discrimination and bullying and to increase the interest of the students to be more open to each other’s diversities.” 

2. Don’t forget to highlight your qualifications one last time. They key to this is to sincerely state that it is your passion to serve your students. You may also see tribute speech.

“I am a passionate advocate against discrimination. And to change that attitude starts here in our school. I want everyone to be accepting of everyone’s differences. I vision an institution with good relations between students and faculty members. I care about each of you and your right to be treated fairly…”

3. Of course, don’t forget to ask the audience to vote for you. Here is the part where you will beg your students to vote for you. Their vote is important for you to win the election. Ask with genuine humility for the students to vote for you. You may also see informative speech.

“I ask nothing but your votes. I would be deeply honored if you’ll vote for me on the election day.” 

Now that you completed your speech, see to it if it’s good enough for you to use. Ask a friend, a family member, or a teacher to read your speech. Ask them what areas you need to improve. Ask for a constructive criticism, even if it hurts.

It’s important for you to learn to improve your speech and to be open-minded towards critical suggestions. Remember you are running for the student council. Make yourself a best example of a responsible student that your fellow students can look up to. Additionally, debates may come up in before the election day, so make yourself familiarize with debate speeches.

Being elected on to your high school’s student council provides you with a unique opportunity to grow as a person.

Not only do you get to advocate for your student body and pursue causes you’re passionate about, but you also get the chance to learn from others and develop skills that will help you in both university and on the job.

Below are the top five reasons why you should consider joining your high school’s student council.

Soft skills and personal development

Soft skills are one of the most valuable skills you can develop, especially when you go to university. Student council truly gives you the opportunity to foster skills like leadership, communication, teamwork, organization and public speaking – all of which you need in university. Not only do these skills help you in class but they’re also super valuable if you’re interested in co-op programs and job applications. 

Student council also gives you the opportunity to focus on yourself. You get to decide how you choose to present yourself, what passions you wish to explore, what kind of leadership style you prefer, and learn what kind of university program or career you think you might enjoy.

Expand your résumé

Perhaps you’re looking for a part-time job, applying to university, or considering what a potential co-op job will require. In any case, you’ll need a résumé! Choosing what to include on your résumé can be difficult, especially if you don’t have a lot of work or volunteer experience. Lucky for you, a student council position looks great. It shows employers and universities that you’re passionate and take initiative.

Hands-on experience in a safe place

Another great benefit of student council is that you’re gaining super relevant experience. Believe it or not, a lot of the organizing and event planning you do with student council are things you will encounter many times throughout university and your career.

You’re also learning these skills in a safe and comfortable environment with support from your peers to help you succeed and grow.

By having this opportunity in high school, you’ll gain the confidence to pursue further development when you enter your university career, and eventually enter the workforce.

Third-year student Vanessa says "being the student council treasurer in my final year of high school provided me with the skills necessary to make the transition from high school to university a smooth one. I learned about responsibility and confidentiality when dealing with money."

She adds that she also learned about representing a population and speaking on behalf of their wishes and needs.

"My experience as a student council executive has led me to leadership positions in university, like being the chapter president of a sorority."

I became more confident speaking in meetings, proposing original ideas, and working collaboratively with other executives and the student body. Student council is a great learning experience and provides transferable skills that are sure to help in whatever your post-secondary endeavours may be!

Vanessa, third-year English Language and Literature and Gerontology student

Networking opportunities

Student council creates an environment where individuals from your high school meet regularly to collaborate on student-led initiatives. You’ll meet different folks with different sets of skills and opinions. You’ll learn how to effectively collaborate with others and use empathy to guide you in your decision making. This is what networking is all about – sharing your thoughts and opinions and learning from others.

Learning to be an advocate

By joining your high school’s student council, you’re elected by your fellow students to be their voice on a matter you’re passionate about. You have the chance to support different groups and give a voice to the voiceless. This is a great opportunity to better understand how inequalities affect different individuals and groups, and have a chance to do something about it.

So, there you have it! My top five reasons why you should join your student council. After all, high school is not always about the academics!

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