As students attend the 2023-2024 school year, there is one specific team of students who put an extensive amount of effort behind the scenes to run events smoothly and raise school spirit. ASB, also known as the Associated Student Body, consists of a group of individuals who are appointed to represent the school and its students. They facilitate existing activities and put twists on events for students, leaving them with lasting high school memories.
Initially, at the end of every school year, an election is held for students who want to run for office. Students can run for any of the positions, and they campaign to get their classmates’ votes. There is an interview process for all running candidates where they meet with the ASB Advisor, current President, and Vice President. Once elected, the students are faced with many varying responsibilities and leadership roles.
A strong high school community relies on the drive that the members have while working behind the scenes, which is why the students’ part of ASB is a source of inspiration for both teachers and students. The members have noticed how with the leadership of the new advisor, Mrs. Tatevosian, the level of organization and communication within the student body has drastically increased. “In any scenario, it’s difficult at first adjusting to change, but specifically since ASB is such a strong, tight-knit group, it was different having a new advisor enter,” senior class Secretary Shelia Isaghoulian said. “Nonetheless, Mrs. Tatevosian has helped make ASB stronger and more united. She treats ASB as a family.”
Mrs. Tatevosian has witnessed the evolution of ASB during her time at Clark, both as a student and teacher. “What’s most important to me is to make ASB a well-oiled machine so that it continues to run and get better day by day, regardless of who the captain of the ship is,” Tatevosian said. She has created systems by placing protocols to set a stronger foundation.
Members tend to experience strict deadlines and high expectations, but not even the slightest amount of stress can take them off track. “Not only is ASB a class that’s constantly on their feet hosting and preparing activities for the school, but it’s a class where we’re able to make new connections, surround ourselves with hardworking people, and make other students’ high school experiences memorable,” Senior ASB Historian Annie Laterovian said. “I enjoy keeping track of the positives and negatives of each event and pointing out what to improve from last year, while also preparing next year’s ASB class.” These students gain important life skills such as time management, team collaboration, and resilience as a result of these challenges.
Every student in ASB contributes significantly to the organizing and executing of various events. One class period is never enough for the members. It takes weeks, sometimes even months, to organize events, plan them out, approve those ideas in meetings, and then actually make them come to life.
ASB members start focusing on issues by brainstorming ideas for upcoming activities during weekly meetings. Every student who attends these meetings expresses their agreement or disagreement with the concepts and activities that are discussed. “I really enjoy helping run meetings. ASB is an organization that is much like a business, and like real businesses, we need to hold meetings to approve finances,” Senior Secretary Alex Barfyan said. “I like my job because I get to handle the paperwork aspect of things. Through previously taking on the role of the director of finance, I was able to learn so many new skills, like communication, management, and organization that would come in handy as a secretary.”
The physical struggle starts once the ideas are approved and events are firmly established. Whether it is a dance, fundraiser, or rally, ASB members take on specialized roles and tasks to coordinate all aspects of the events. The Director of Activity Commissioners, senior Mary Torosyan, believes that ultimately, the goal of the events ASB hosts is just to have fun and be together with friends. “The most important quality that is needed to plan school events and activities is having an open mind. Teamwork involves valuing the opinions of others over your own in order to bring the student body together and make the event enjoyable for all,” Torosyan said.
As coordinated as ASB may be, it was only possible with the help of the ASB President, Vahag Matevosian. With the support of the majority of the Senior class of 2024, he gained a passion for his role. “As stressful as being ASB president is, knowing that I have people in the class who always have my back makes the job a lot less stressful,” said Matevosian. “My role as president is simply to be able to graduate and say that I helped make a difference at Clark. Even if my changes are minor, I want to leave a legacy that I’m able to pass onto the next ASB class that was better than previous years.” In his previous years, he was the freshman and junior class president, which vastly improved his social and public speaking skills. ASB was one of the biggest contributors to his running for Student Board Member of Glendale Unified School District, representing over 25,000 students throughout the district.
Clark Magnet High School’s Associated Student Body is more than just a group of teenagers planning events; it is a representation of power, accountability, and leadership. ASB members leave an exciting and unforgettable impression on other students as they successfully handle the complications of high school.
