BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Martin County Middle School’s student council and principal Brent Haney outlined their growing slate of student-led initiatives during a recent Kiwanis Club luncheon at Giovanni’s in Inez.

They described campaign-season shifts, new civic-learning projects, efforts to curb bullying, and a push to strengthen school culture. Their ideas ranged from an extended lunch on Fridays to a monthly Funday to reward achievement and deter bullying.

Haney and the students detailed the council’s early work as elected leaders and discussed the issues shaping student life.

“They are tremendous,” Haney said of the student council.

He noted that the Kiwanis Club meeting itself is a valuable lesson in civic engagement.

“This is good for them to see as well,” he added. “I am going to let them talk to you about what came from our very first meeting. There were some great ideas on the table and more stuff coming.”

Haney explained that the student body elected three eighth-grade and two seventh-grade representatives after the nomination and a two-week campaign. Candidates hung posters, made announcements during lunch, and handed out candy and campaign T-shirts.

Last year, candidates gave speeches over the intercom; this year they appeared in person before the student body. Haney said that shift changed the tone of the election.

“That was a much bigger piece to it than prior times,” he said. “The guys sitting in front of you hit it out of the park, standing up in front of their peers and giving a speech.”

According to Haney, all of the candidates “ran a clean campaign.”

The council’s elected representatives are seventh-graders Emily Mooney and Zander Sammons and eighth-graders Braxton Pack, Alivia Stacy and Jamalynn Preece. All officers are eighth-graders: treasurer Paxton Whitt, secretary Chucky Leonard, vice president Brody Jewell and president Luke Preece.

Haney said the council conducted its first meeting and was preparing for the November meeting, which would include both old and new business.

L. Preece told Kiwanians that one of the council’s first official actions was to approve an “idea box” for students to submit suggestions, either anonymously or with their names.

One topic of the first meeting came from L. Preece’s own campaign promise: adding five minutes to lunch on Fridays.

“We talked about adding five minutes to lunch once on Friday,” he said.

L. Preece took “a little heat” from classmates, but school administrators helped work out a plan that would allow him to keep that extended lunch pledge.

Council members also discussed creating a monthly “Funday” on the first school day of each month. Attendance to Funday would require maintaining A or B grades, having no unexcused absences, and avoiding disciplinary write-ups.

The council also addressed Spirit Weeks, morning announcements and their daily responsibilities, which include reading the Pledge of Allegiance, leading a moment of silence, and sometimes adding a joke or a word of the day.

Pack spoke about the idea box and the students who might rely on it.

“Some kids are a little bit quieter than others,” he said. “This gives everyone a chance to express how they feel about the school community. It makes everyone feel like they are included.”

Pack built the box before handing it to Mooney, Whitt, Stacy and J. Preece to decorate. Whitt said the group was still working on the design and planned to use school colors.

Leonard said the idea box would give students a direct voice in council decisions.

“A lot of kids last year did not agree with what we were doing,” he said. “So we wanted to get our peers’ ideas for what we could do better—ideas that would make them happy and not just a certain number of kids.”

Leonard said the council’s next meeting would focus on establishing a firm date for Funday.

“I think that would help kids to push themselves to be better with their grades and everything, not skip school,” he said. “That could lead up to a Funday where they can have freedom and not do work all day. I mean, who likes doing work all day?”

He added that Funday may also improve school climate.

“We have had our share of fights,” Leonard said. “We do not want that to happen anymore.”

Haney credited the council with generating significant participation during a recent Spirit Day.

Kiwanis Club president Melissa Phelps told students that the idea box would likely receive some suggestions that could not receive approval. She encouraged them to address those thoughtfully.

“I think that will help the morale of the students and keep them supporting you,” she said. “People do not like to be told ‘no,’ but it makes it a little easier when you can explain the reasoning behind it.”

More than 95% of students voted in the school council election.

In the coming days, Leonard shared, students would be writing essays on Americans voting.

Pack said mandatory voting would prompt people to pay closer attention to elections and the issues at stake.

Leonard agreed that the assignment would help students understand the importance of civic participation.

“We are hoping that kids will learn about politics and voting, and how important that is in this country,” Leonard added. “I think our teachers are doing a great job teaching us about that.”

A Kiwanian asked what issues students face that adults may not realize.

“We have a lot of bullying in our school,” Whitt replied.

Leonard pointed to a project by the journalism class that required each student to write about bullying.

“We were going to get the facts about bullying,” he said. “Cyberbullying, in-person bullying, rumors. A lot of stuff was going on in Martin County Middle School.”

Haney said that the assignment produced a 12-page article on the effects of bullying and possible remedies.

“It was excellent,” he said.

According to Leonard, the recently added school police officer has improved safety.

“In the hallways, people are a lot calmer now,” he said. “We feel protected with this police officer in the hall. They are always listening and always protecting us. Before, you would get called names or be made fun of, but with the police force, it has helped us a lot.”

Pack said the officer was also reducing tobacco use among younger students.

“It just keeps everyone in line and keeps them on the right track,” he said. “Last year we had a lot of fights … I see a big difference.”

Haney said the school recorded seven fights last year, but even one is too many.

“These kids do not want to see any of that going on at all,” he said. “We have seen a change … It does matter to our kids more than what people realize sometimes.”

Retired teacher and Kiwanian Pam Ward recommended role-playing exercises to help students understand what constitutes bullying.

“Some people do not realize when they say things that it is considered bullying,” she said.

Haney highlighted the school’s Medal of Honor Character Development Program, which promotes leadership and respect among students.

“I hope all of those little pieces, over time, will make a difference,” he said.

Phelps told the students that Kiwanis stands ready to support their Funday plans, whether financially or with errands.

“That is what Kiwanis is about—kids,” she said. “That would be a perfect opportunity for us to partner with the school.”

Following a motion and a second, members voted to support MCMS Funday.