The elections for a new personera, Ambar Alvarez, who is now student body president, went viral throughout the hallways of Columbus School in a demonstration of democratic ideals.

Candidates develop their platforms each September in anticipation of the extremely democratic Personero elections. Ambar’s victory was led by her enthusiasm for the rights of other pupils. Her race with senior Samuel Escobar showed a dedication to diversity, placing a focus on open discussion and forward-thinking initiatives.

Ambar’s priority was to attend the students’ most urgent issues. She recognizes two critical problems that need rapid attention: seniors’ tardiness in the first block and the requirement to boost school spirit by adopting Columbus culture.

“The most pressing issues facing students in our school… are the tardies for the first block… especially for seniors, and also the Columbus culture,” Senior Ambar Alvarez said.

Ambar’s multi-platform campaign, including TikTok, prioritizes kids’ pressing concerns. Through diverse emotional appeals, she cultivates a culture where she stands as the dedicated student representative, poised to deliver change.

“Something I could’ve improved was my social media campaign, which I admit, could’ve been much better. Ambar did a really complete campaign, posted very consistently, and even had a TikTok account, which I think is super creative and funny,” Senior Samuel Escobar said.

Efficiency and tolerance are characteristics of Ambar’s efforts. Her objectives include strategies that will open lines of communication, humanize the maintenance workers, and create school pride through cooperative sporting activities.

“Some projects that I have for this year include adding a tag name to all maintenance staff so when we talk to them, we can know their names and kids can start familiarizing themselves with their names,” Alvarez stated.

Ambar acknowledges the effectiveness of social media in reaching a larger audience as she thinks back on her campaign. She appreciates how well it engages kids and thinks it was crucial to her victory in the election.

“Talking with students through social media was something that was really effective through my campaign,” Senior Alvarez explained

Ambar highlights the significance of empathy, accessibility, and a sincere dedication to the well-being of students in order to be an effective personera. She thinks that such traits are crucial for illustrating the many perspectives within the school community.

“I want to always represent them and try to work with the perspective of a student who has had all her years in school,” Ambar said.