On Friday Oct. 7, the candidates for the freshmen executive board will be delivering their speeches to the Class of 2026 during an extended advisory. WSPN sat down with the freshman presidential candidates to get their takes on why the freshman class should vote them for president.

Agastya Parulekar:

Why are you fit to be class president?
“I am hard working, a leader, and will make sure the class of 2026 is one of the best Wayland High School has ever seen.”

What will you do if elected president?
“I will start fundraising as soon as possible because this money will be going towards our semi-formal and prom.”

What makes you different from the other candidates?
“I’m different because I have many fundraising plans already and I’m very interested in politics. I will be listening to my peers’ ideas and have the [Class of 2026’s] best interests [in mind] moving forward.”

Kelsey Kaufmann:

Why are you fit to be class president?
“I believe I am fit to be class president because I am a social and compassionate person. Through those skills, I will be capable of listening to everyone’s wants and needs. I think everyone should feel a sense of comfort when approaching me with any comments or ideas because I will never shoot down anything. An idea is an idea and it is valued by me. I also really enjoy organizing events, it is something I have just loved my whole life. On top of that, I am also a former girl scout, so I have experience with fundraising and communicating with people.”

What will you do if elected president?
“If I am elected president I will do the best I can when it comes to listening to my fellow students. Obviously, I can’t hear everyone at the same time, so if someone has a really strong opinion on a topic I will make time to talk with them. I want to make sure that everyone is happy and pleased with the outcome of me being their president, so I will make listening to them one of my top priorities. I also promise to fulfill every duty the president is obligated to do. Fundraising is also a very important thing the president has to do, and if I was elected president I would start brainstorming and getting other people’s ideas right away.”

What makes you different from the other candidates?
“What makes me different from the rest of the candidates is that I will take being president very seriously and I will be devoted to being president. I believe that some of [the other candidates] won’t do the best job of being president. I think out of all the other people I’m running against, I would be the best option for my peers when it comes down to managing the presidential duties.”

Benjamin Hammond:

Why are you fit to be class president?
“I think that I am fit to be class president because I am a strong leader and a hard worker. I have lived in Wayland for eleven years and I really want to help the Class of 2026 have the best possible freshmen year. From academics, sports, arts and other extracurriculars, we have a lot we can build on. I really think I can contribute, and I will work as hard as I can to see that through.”

What will you do if elected president?
“If elected, it is important to me to make sure that we build a community where new and different ideas are welcomed. I also plan to do a great deal of fundraising to begin to work toward events like semi-formal and prom for my class. Getting an early start on fundraising is very important, as it will help make these events much more fun and successful for the Class of 2026.”

What makes you different from the other candidates?
“I, in addition to being a student, am an athlete and a musician. I would really like to see our arts and music program, as well as our sports programs, thrive. [I] plan to do fundraisers towards those programs in the future. I would really like to hold events based on my class’ opinions and what we think will be the most fun for us. I am also half Ghanaian, and I’ve thought that it would be great to introduce and host cultural events not just from my own, but from many other cultures here at the high school.”

Penelope Jacques:

Why are you fit to be class president?
“I think I am fit to be class president because of how social I am. I think good communication is the most important part of leadership.”

What will you do if elected president?
“If I am elected president, I will do as much fundraising as possible to save up for events in the coming years and possibly a class trip this year.”

What makes you different from the other candidates?
“What makes me different from the other candidates is my motivation, I know that this is something that I 100% want to do, and that I will put as much effort as I can into it.”

Freshman Erica Wilson will also be running for class president.