The Marauder hosts provided breakfast for all StuCo members to begin the day, and after students settled in and socialized with friends, the conference started. 

Each student was given a name tag with a different colored star on it which would indicate which groups we would be in. Each group participated in icebreakers, groupshare time, and a school tour. 

Groups separated students from each school so that members could meet others from different schools. Groupshare time is where students gather and discuss school initiatives they have done, new ideas, and what isn’t working for their school. This allows other students to connect and see what local high schools are doing that makes their Student Council successful. 

Every DRL conference includes a sharetime which is the most crucial part of the day. Because students are able to share successes, struggles, and ideas, this is where members bond with new people. Having this sharetime allows you to plan for the upcoming school year, however, for some of our seniors, this will not be the case at this conference. 

Reflecting on her very last Student Council conference, Destiny Warren says, “It’s a bittersweet moment because I enjoy going to these and meeting people from different schools and it’s sad to see the friends I’ve made over the years for the last time. But it is exciting to see what the other schools have done and talk about what we have done and what we will do in the future.”

The people that you are surrounded with are like-minded people who enjoy school involvement, so to say goodbye to these friends can be difficult. 

WHS can look forward to current sophomores and juniors who are ready to bring their ideas for the upcoming school years. 

“I get to meet new people and learn about how to better our school,” states junior Alyssa Ganop. 

It is the junior class that gains the most out of these conferences as they begin to plan for their final year at the high school. The DRL conference is a place to learn about yourselves, how you work as a team, and what initiatives you want to bring to your school. It’s a learning opportunity for all. 

Provided with multiple DRL conferences throughout the school year, many student council members are able to attend. The more people who are gaining this experience, the better off our school will be when everyone can come together with ideas. 

WHS is in good hands as the seniors say goodbye and the class of 2025 prepares to make their last year the best year.