Key takeaways
- Student council leaders help make their school a better place by representing the student body, planning activities, advocating for change, and improving school culture.
- To win your student council campaign, it’s important to pick a role that fits you, make sure you are eligible to run, and get to know your school and its needs.
- Once you are in the running, you’ll want to create a clear campaign, network with students, get to know your opponents, use social media to your benefit, practice speaking and speech writing, and be yourself.
Want to get involved at school? If you love your school, your peers, and want to make school a more enjoyable place to receive an education, then you might consider running for a student council or student government position. Student leaders compete against their peers and are then elected by the student body to help improve their school experience. Think this might be the job for you? Here are 12 tips to help you win your student council campaign.
What do student council leaders do?
Student council exists to make school more student-focused, organized, inclusive, and fun. Here are a few of the responsibilities student council leaders take on:
- They represent the student body. Student council leaders bring up concerns and suggestions from their classmates to their teachers and administration.
- They plan activities and events. This could include homecoming, prom, spirit week, pep rallies, or community service events.
- They advocate for change. If you want updated vending machines or a new club option, student council leaders can help push for those changes.
- They improve school culture. Student council leaders try to make school feel more welcoming, positive, and connected for their peers.
12 tips for winning your student council campaign
Thinking about running for student council? Use these tips to boost your chances of winning (and have fun along the way):
1. Pick a fitting role
There are multiple roles you can choose from when running for student council or student government, including president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. Some schools may even have advisors, committees, and a historian. Before choosing your position, it helps to understand what each role usually does:
- President: The highest leadership role. The president oversees meetings, plans major events, and represents the student body.
- Vice president: Supports the president and steps in when they’re unavailable. The VP coordinates committees and helps keep things organized.
- Secretary: Responsible for communication and organization. The secretary takes meeting notes, interacts directly with the student body, and voices student council decisions.
- Treasurer: Handles the finances. The treasurer is in charge of fundraising, creating budgets, and keeping track of money earned and spent.
2. Look at the school’s requirements
Each school will have its own requirements for who can run for student government. This may include a minimum GPA, a specific grade level, or even a certain number of volunteer hours. Before you decide to run, look at the requirements for each role and see if you meet them. This will prevent you from creating a campaign just to find out you’re not actually eligible to run.
3. Get to know your school
Oftentimes, many students want to run for student council because they are passionate about making their school a better place. To do this, you’ll need to know your school well so that you can pinpoint the issues that actually matter. Instead of trying to create something better from scratch, you can help strengthen something weak in your school.
4. Create one clear message
Now for the fun part—creating your campaign! What is the issue that you want to focus on in your school or student body that will make you the winning candidate? Establish a very clear message that your student body will remember, and create a short, catchy slogan so that people catch on easily. Creating posters, stickers, buttons, and even setting up a table at school for other students to stop by will help you get your name out there.
5. Be yourself
This may seem cheesy, but it’s important to be yourself when you’re running for a student government position. You don’t want to act like someone else or try to change yourself just because you want to win. It will be difficult to keep up with this new persona. So refine your personal statement or elevator pitch and stick with it.
6. Network with students
How will you help the student body if you don’t know a majority of them? Network with your peers and let them express their concerns to you so you can see what the people actually want.
Show up in the hallways, at lunch, and even before school to get to know students. Reach out to groups of students you might not know as well, like athletes, band members, or the drama club. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying hi to people you don’t normally talk to. You have to remember that you are the voice for the student body, so you need to know what is actually going on in the school’s student body.
7. Practice public speaking
A good stage presence is important when running for student council, so practice your public speaking. You can practice in front of the mirror and work on your cadence, speed, and facial expressions. By practicing, you won’t be as nervous when you have to stand in front of a crowd, and your peers will notice your confidence.
8. Get to know the opponent
You’ll likely be running against someone else (possibly more than one) for the student government position that you choose. Get to know their campaign and what they are offering to the student body. Use this information as talking points when you’re speaking to the student body and tell them what you will offer instead.
9. Use social media wisely
Use social media to your advantage to get your name out there so everyone can become familiar with who you are and what your campaign is. Ask your friends if they’d be willing to repost your posts on their stories, where their friends will also see your face. You’ll be able to reach a bigger crowd without having to canvas the entire school grounds.
10. Be honest
Honesty is the best policy, especially when it comes to running for student council. Try not to make promises you can’t keep or tell your peers you can make something happen when you don’t have the authority to do so—like canceling school on Fridays. Not only can this disappoint your classmates, but it can also hurt your credibility and decrease your chances of winning.
11. Get your friends involved
Ask your friends to be your supporters—especially if you attend a big school. You might not get face-to-face time with every student, so having your friends advocate for you can position you as a frontrunner. A strong support system could be what helps you win.
12. Keep your speech short and genuine
When it comes time to finally give your speech, keep it short, honest, and easy for your classmates to connect with. Maybe you share a quick story, add a joke, or get sentimental about why you love your school. However you choose to go about it, just make sure it’s genuine. Focus on sharing your main promise and wrapping it up before you lose the attention of your peers.
Win or lose, stay positive and stay involved
We can tell you tips for winning student council, but it’s YOU who actually does the work. Use these tips and tricks to help your student body succeed. And remember, when the student council election is held, be sure to congratulate the winners—even if you aren’t one of them. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t win the first time around. Whether you want to be Class Secretary or Class President, you can always run again next year.
Interested in government or social service as a career? Use College Raptor’s College Match tool to find out what schools are a great fit for you and your future goals.
