High school has a reputation of being a scary place, filled with bullies, mean girls and harsh teachers. This idea can be intensified in a large school like Staples. It can be hard to make a grade of 500 students feel like a community, especially when the class of 2024 started their high school experience divided into a hybrid learning model because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the 2024 Class Committee strives to build a strong community among their grade and make Staples feel just a bit smaller. 

Committee member Áine Ancona ’24 recognizes the importance of having a community that supports each other and is there for others, especially in school when so many students are constantly stressed and overwhelmed with school work. 

“Adults have said to me that these are arguably some of the most stressful years of our lives, especially next year with the class of 2024 going into junior year and thinking about college,” Ancona said. “But a way to alleviate that stress is to be supported by those around you. Having encouragement from friends in school is amazing, but feeling like our class is connected as a whole [creates] a new level of support we can all give to each other.” 

Vice President Jojo Treisman ’24 also acknowledges that after having an unusual experience in middle school and the first part of high school, it is essential that the class of 2024 experiences important high school events. 

“The class of 2024 has been through a lot, including having combined middle schools and transitioning into high school during the middle of the pandemic,” Treisman said. “We want to make sure that pivotal parts of high school, like prom, are enjoyable and memorable.” 

In order to make momentous high school experiences such as prom as fun as possible, the 2024 Class Committee holds fundraisers to raise money. Treasurer Emma Schorr ’24 helped run one of the committee’s recent fundraisers. She understands that it is important to accumulate enough money to have both an enjoyable prom and participate in other activities leading up to senior year. 

“We have sold lanyards and made money to be able to give our class options for more projects or events in the future,” Schorr said. “School can get really stressful with work so it is important that as a committee we plan activities in order to break up the school year.”

Though the main goal is to improve the class of 2024’s high school experience, the committee also raises money to help those in need. Vice President Georgia Elsner ’24 helped plan their first fundraiser during the 2020-21 school year.

“We brought the Nugs Not Hugs campaign where we raised money to buy food for essential workers during the Covid-19 crisis in 2021,” Elsner said. 

The 2024 Class Committee thrives off of input from as many class members as possible. Anybody in the class of 2024 who has ideas is encouraged to join the committee. 

“The entire class of 2024 will benefit from new members joining the committee because then we can get more of a grasp of what the grade wants to see,” Treisman said. “Their opinions of events like prom will be heard, and we can create a high school experience for the class of 2024 that benefits everyone.”