Council’s Golden Jubilee!

The Hanover High School Council is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! Council was founded in 1972 with the goal of letting students and staff work alongside each other to better our school community, while championing student voices and input. Since then, Council has passed numerous landmark motions, including the Condom Distribution Motion (2015), the Gender Inclusivity Motion (2016), the Freshman Off Campus Motion (2021), and the Mascot Removal Motion (2021).

Council has created an Ad-Hoc committee to plan celebrations in honor of this anniversary. The committee plans to look through records dating back to the creation of Council in conjunction with the Historical Records Committee and to create a presentation on the evolution of this body and democratic governance in Hanover High School. The committee also plans to engage the larger community by contacting the Valley News and other local media outlets. Finally, The Broadside is planning on releasing a special edition of our newspaper completely dedicated to the past 50 years of Council (shameless plug, but stay tuned!).

On a more serious note, while you may feel disconnected from Council, I would encourage you to spend some time considering how your time here at HHS has been affected by decisions made in Council. Do you leave campus during the day? Do you wear clothing that shows your belly button? Do you use the weight room? You are able to do all of this because of Council decisions and funding from Council. While many students assert that Council does not accomplish much of anything, it is irrefutable that the lives of HHS students are significantly affected by Council decisions on a daily basis. So, come to council meetings! Speak to your representatives! Make your voice heard! And here’s to another 50 years of Council!

Image: Council in 1999

Image credit: HHS Yearbook