By Sunghyun Bae, Yeavon Kim, Minju Kim
The HAFS student government is organized much like a modern democracy, with executive, legislative, and judicial branches working together to represent and serve the student body. To complement these efforts, we as the press aim to provide transparency and a closer look at their work. Many students have likely wondered how the council elected in the first semester has been carrying out its campaign promises. To answer that question, we sat down with the student government president, hoping to give a clearer sense of what has been accomplished — and what remains ahead.
From the very start, the administration set its course by four guiding principles: Harmony, Aspiration, Fellowship, and Sustainability — HAFS. “Collaboration with the school faculty was pretty important,” the president said. “We tried to think about what students actually need first, and then narrowed it down to only the essential campaigns.”
Progress has been steady, even if difficult to measure with numbers. “Overall, I just try to finish the remaining campaigns step by step. It’s going pretty well,” he reflected with a small smile. Some projects stand out more than others. His answer was HAFSBOT, a student-designed platform that he personally helped build. “My first goal was to activate communication,” he explained. “Through HAFSBOT we were able to connect with different committees and student divisions.”
Not all projects, however, were planned from the beginning. Hosting the HAFS Debate Open was a late addition. “We had no past examples, so we had to plan everything from scratch,” he said. “It was a burden, but luckily it finished well.” On the other hand, some ideas had to wait: the popular request for more beanbags in Lux Hall was postponed until the second semester, though the publication of a student council rulebook — completed in close partnership with the legislature and judicial committee — wrapped up earlier than expected.
Time, the president admitted, is the greatest enemy. “We only have one year to complete all of our policies, so we can’t really run massive projects.” Just as pressing is the invisible tug-of-war between student hopes and faculty approval. “There are lots of procedures we have to go through. Students don’t always know about that, so explaining it can be hard.”
Looking ahead, the council has a clear sequence of priorities. First is the rollout of the student council badge project, already designed and budgeted. Next comes the long-awaited Lux Hall beanbag expansion, followed by several infrastructure-focused campaigns that will require deeper back-and-forth with school leadership.
When asked what he would change if he could revisit his original platform, the president was candid: “Many candidates propose a long list of promises to win support. But when it becomes too much, it turns into a burden.”
Still, he closed on a note of gratitude. “Over the past semester, we’ve done our best, both in visible efforts and behind the scenes. Please continue to devote yourselves to your school life, and we ask for your encouragement as we move forward.”
The student council’s story so far isn’t just about policies checked off a list. It’s about small steps, unexpected challenges, and visible results — with the human effort behind it all. Their work highlights the importance of communication, collaboration, and realistic planning. As new projects unfold, we look forward to watching how their dedication will shape the months ahead.