December 04, 2008
Student Council Student Profile- Harding Shwabb
Student Council – Profile
By Mario Trujillo, NMAA Intern
There is no better way to try and fix the problem than from the inside.
Harding Shwabb, 15, from Hot Springs High School joined student council with grandiose hopes of improving the school. He soon realized that progress is slow – but necessary.
“When I first got elected (as a representative) as a freshman I was sort of surprised at what it actually was,” Harding said. “It didn’t seem like there was too much going on.”
Student council wasn’t making decisions on things that seemed extremely important, Harding said.
“I really didn’t think it mattered whether we got another coke machine or not,” he said. “That is not what I had signed up for.”
Over time Harding realized that that any legislation, no matter how seemingly insignificant, needed to be done.
“It was pretty stupid to think that 15 students could just walk into a room and change everything at once,” he said. “ We were there to make small decisions, but even that is something.”
Through these first years, he has been attending meetings and making his votes. However, he will not be satisfied with that.
“There is always room to improve,” Harding said. “I don’t expect to save the world or anything, but everything can always get better. I think we should always look to do more. This program is good already. All we need is a little more motivation.”
In the next few years he hopes to take a higher office.
“I think I might run (for president) when I am a senior,” he said. “I feel I could do it just as good as any other guy, maybe even a little better.”
Over the past year and a half of student council, Harding has grown to respect the program for what it is.
“I get now that this has a lot to do with building individual skills,” he said. “ Its not just about helping the school.
We are learning things that will help us in college and later.”
