One of the most important aspects of the Community Council is diversity among the members, which translates to better communication with the community outside the council, both in Souhegan High School and in Amherst and Mont Vernon.
This diversity is achieved through the structure of the council, as well as the at-large elections, but most notably under the idea of including community members in the council.
The presence of these members is important because they bring in a different viewpoint of the school and of council itself as someone who may not be directly involved with the school.
Nan Stearns, a community member elected to council this year, said she was âthrilled with the opportunity to learn more about Souheganâ when elected. Stearns said she didnât know anything about the Community Council until she read about it in a letter to the editor in the Amherst Citizen, which was when she decided to investigate.
In addressing those who oppose the Community Council or believe their voices arenât being heard, she said she believes âthe solution is involvement.â If people believe the council isnât doing its job, they should attend a meeting and they âwould be very, very impressed,â she said.
Another community member on the council, Rick Katzenberg, agreed with Stearns on a point she made about the difference between Souheganâs Community Council and the student councils theyâd been a part of in high school: that this council deals with much broader subject matter and has a better rapport with the students, staff members and community members who are in it.
Katzenberg says that in light of why the community should be aware of what the council is doing, that as the high school increasingly becomes a focal point of community activity, the connections between the school and the community increase.
He also says âcommunity members should view the council positivelyâ as it deals with many of the activities and decisions within the school that pertain to the community.
However, in this, there must be open communication between the council and the community in order to maintain good connections.
Katzenberg responds to any negativity directed at the council with the idea that there will always be some small constituency that opposes such an organization, and the council will have to figure out how to deal with it.
The main criticism seems to be about communication between the council and the community, which will continue to be worked on as the year continues. As long as the community is informed about and able to watch or take part in Community Council, the connections between the council and the community will continue to deepen as both groups work toward bettering the school and the community.
Hannah Dean is a junior at Souhegan High School in Amherst.![]()
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