Students circle around tables, intently discussing upcoming plans. Phones sound with suggestions from members for activities, while input is offered and ideas are discussed and put into action. The large group called Student Council works to bring the community and school together.

With new officers, new members and a new sponsor, Canyon High School’s Student Council is buzzing with opportunity and change. 

“I love the kids that I work with,” Kimberly Sharber, teacher and student council sponsor said. “I have a lot of school spirit, and I just love being a teacher. As far as things changing, that’s probably inevitable, but it just seems like there’s a lot more spirit this year. If the students are willing to put the effort in, then I’m willing to support them and help them do it. Connecting the community with our campus and livening up that Eagle pride is the goal.”

Sharber said Student Council is mainly student driven, and, with one event each month, every member has a job.

“We will do as much or as little as the students want to do,” Sharber said. “We have officers, committee chairs and committee co-chairs. We take all of their ideas, streamline them and decide what is going to work. The officers are here to make sure each committee has found an effective way to communicate and each committee is represented by multiple populations on campus. I think it’s important we keep Student Council thriving and we are successful. It has such an impact on our community.”

Senior Alyssa Harris said being a part of Student Council has given her more opportunities to see different aspects throughout the school.

“I am in a lot of things, but I’m not a part of everything,” Harris said. “Being able to be in that kind of organization really helps me to be able to see something that I’m not a part of. You can make more of a difference because you have a platform to be able to say what needs to be said and try to do something to change it.”

Wanting to help charities in need, Sharber said she was glad Student Council members will get a chance to be a part of the United Way Youth Leadership Cabinet.

“We have a group of 15 at Canyon High School that made the United Way Youth Leadership Council,” Sharber said. “They raise money, pool it all together, and issue it to charities that have applied for a grant. This year, our goal at Canyon High School is to raise $2,000, which will be pooled together with all the other schools. Last year they raised a total of $30,000. All the money will go to United Way, and the Youth Cabinet is where the money is dispersed.”

More than just a charity, Student Council has given students a home, junior Tea Taylor said.

“I’ve always wanted to be more involved,”  Taylor said. “It really brought me out of my shell. You get to meet a lot of people. It really gets you out of your comfort zone and really gets you to talk to new people if you’re shy. It takes a lot of time and commitment to be a part of, but it gives me something to do.”

Sharber said along with continuing traditional events and welcoming new students, Student Council is working to bring new events to the high school, such as the homecoming dance earlier in the year.

“One of the ideas we’re working on is possibly a cookies with Santa sometime in December for some of the elementary kids,” Sharber said. “We would have a couple of our high school kids dress up as Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as some elves. This year is kind of a whirlwind because we didn’t have a summer to plan. Next year I feel like things will fall into line better because we’ve done it all before, and we will have had the summer to really map things out and be successful. We don’t want to not do things just because we’ve never done them before. ”