Every school has a student government and Pekin Community High School (PCHS) is no different. As the school year starts to slip away, PCHS’ student council (STUCO) is preparing to say goodbye to senior members, compete at state with their honor counsel book, and reflect on what they’ve accomplished so far. 

The members on the 2024-2025 executive (exec) board are President Elizabeth Austin, Vice President Emma Kroll, Second Vice President Brooke Rotherham, Secretary Charlie Stilling, Treasurer John Kroll, Parliamentarian Alina Vang, Historian Riley Cady, Historian Elect Hannah Rotherham, Webmaster Emilia Rueshhoff, Hopewell Liaisons Riley Jones and Bellea Hutchison and Ad Hocs Camden Schulze, Abygail Hall and Parker Winn. The advisors include teachers Colleen Kahl, Daniel Everett, Libbi Hill and Dione Gresham. Other representatives are involved as well. 

Pekin’s STUCO kicks off the year with arguably one of their most prominent events: Blackout. Blackout is a fundraiser for Easterseals, a non-profit organization that provides services to children and adults with disabilities. STUCO takes donations, designs and sells blackout shirts at lunch booths, football games, and other school events for this fundraiser. This year STUCO raised $21,474.70 for the non-profit.

Following the Blackout game is another one of STUCO’s biggest events: homecoming. All PCHS students are able to be involved in this event. The main parts of homecoming include the dance, pep rally, parade, football game, and powderpuff football game. 

“I think what makes homecoming so special is the feeling of being able to see all of your friends in a crowd and being able to be part of something with one of your favorite people,” Senior student Gabrielle Peyton, this year’s homecoming queen stated. 

Peyton and her boyfriend Gabriel Schwermin were nominated by the student body as this year’s king and queen. 

After homecoming is over, STUCO prepares for their second committees including the canned food drive. The event is a way to get everyone involved in giving back to their community. Cardboard boxes are placed in every advisory; students are encouraged to bring in non-perishable food items to donate to local families in need. Then STUCO members on the canned food drive committee dedicate their last day before Thanksgiving break to sorting, packaging, and loading the food into boxes to be distributed in the community. 

Exec board member Riley Jones donated many items to this year’s drive and was part of the committee that packaged it. 

“I went and bought 400 canned foods because it is so rewarding seeing the families receive all the canned food and being so grateful for it,” Jones stated. “It is also just a part of who I am. I love to give back to the community in many ways and thanks to my family and friends I was able to do that in a big way.”

The start of the new year marks a change in the atmosphere for exec members, as the Historian prepares the honor book to participate and compete in STUCO state. In preparation the Historian collects meeting minutes, agendas, prints out the constitution, and gathers various documents to make the honor book. The historian elect helps make the honor book, and designs dividers for the book to distinguish the different sections. 

The spring semester is full of pep rallies, candy grams, spirit weeks, elections, and a children’s book-themed play all leading to one thing, state. 

State is a massive convention where all student council members are encouraged to attend. Last year the convention was held in Springfield, IL where members participated in inclusivity, leadership, and communication workshops. 

Last year was Winn’s first year at state, and he plans to return for another. “One thing that state taught me about leadership is that there isn’t just one kind of leadership,” Winn said. “I remember a guest speaker talking about how you can lead from the front, back, or middle and it stuck with me as it was accurate and helpful advice.”

As their very last event of the year, STUCO hosts a senior sendoff. Seniors are let out of class early to play games, eat, relax, and celebrate their upcoming graduation. 

All pep rallies and spirit weeks are planned, organized, and put into motion by STUCO to encourage school spirit and endurance as the year progresses. STUCO does a lot for PCHS and the community to promote leadership, responsibility, inclusivity, and citizenship. It’s important to support those who support the community, so next time STUCO hosts an event, be sure to attend!

Pictures by Riley Jones and Colleen Kahl