What inspired you to run for student body president? 

“I was inspired to run for student body president by my grandma in freshman year.  I had told her I was running for class president, and she mistakenly thought I meant president of the Upper School as a whole.  When I corrected her that my role would only pertain to the class of 2021, she was still very excited for me, but told me, ‘As soon as you’re able to, you run for student body president.’  I promised her I would.  That promise, in addition to my overall love for both leading and serving the Sacred Heart community, inspired me to run.” 

How are you and the rest of the student council adapting to the changes made this year because of the coronavirus pandemic? 

“It is challenging to come up with ways to strengthen our community dynamic while having to remain physically separated, but the student council has been working very hard to create new opportunities for community building that coincide with the school’s COVID-19 regulations.  Despite having to alter many of our traditions (for example, morning meeting), we decided in our very first meeting over the summer that we would remain committed to maintaining positive mindsets throughout this unforeseen school year.  Personally, my quarantine experience inspired in me a new sense of gratitude for my peers and our beautiful school.  Thus, the ability to be physically present with one another, despite smiles covered by masks and hugs halted by safety protocols, makes every other change and adaptation worthwhile.”

What excites you most about being student body president this year?

“Although also a nerve-wracking prospect, being president during this pandemic-ridden school year is also very exciting.  I love leading and supporting others, especially as a source of optimism and the context of this school year poses a challenge for me while also providing an excellent platform to stress the vitality of positive mindsets and open my peers’ eyes to the blessings that surround us daily.  Myself and the rest of the student council have been given a near clean slate of sorts, with the opportunity to create brand new agents of community building.  Aside from these scary yet rewarding challenges, I am also excited to establish connections in general.  I thoroughly enjoy building relationships with others; my favorite part about school, as minuscule as it may sound, is walking through the halls and smiling and saying hi to my peers.  The simple act of saying hello reminds me of the love, support, and friendship that constantly surrounds me at Sacred Heart.  To have the chance to share my passion for this school while establishing connections with those that make Sacred Heart so special is incredibly exciting.”

The King Street Chronicle thanks senior Morgan Wilkens ’21 for her contributions to “Humans of Sacred Heart.”