Effective student council speeches help candidates get elected to the student council by telling the student body what they can offer to improve student life. The speaker can then make the audience more familiar with who they are.
If you would like to be part of a leadership organization that will give back to the school and community, deciding to participate in a student council campaign is an excellent way. Whether you want to be class president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, or council member, you must prepare a catchy speech to get yourself elected.
You can get many types of public relations experiences throughout school, and the student council is an excellent place to start.
What Is The Goal Of Student Council?
Student council is a group of students who work with a faculty advisor to better the school. They might share student concerns with staff members, including administrators, who are in a position to help address those concerns. A form of student government, they also can host fundraisers for school activities, engage in service projects, and plan fun events.
Student councils often are found at different educational levels, including elementary, middle, and high schools, which can give students an understanding of government from a young age.
What Is The Purpose Of Student Council Speeches?
Typically, student council members are chosen by elections. The hope is that the election will be less of a popularity contest and more of an actual election based on merit. When running in a student council election, the great speeches will stand out because they enumerate the issues important to the student body and point out why the candidate will be a great leader in the capacity they are hoping to serve the school.
What Is The First Thing I Should Say In My Speech?
An election speech is a form of persuasive speech. Your opening statement should be an attention grabber that students will remember. The intro should also inform those listening who you are and what office you hope to win.
- Welcome your fellow students.
- Get their attention by saying something catchy.
- Introduce yourself. Include your name, grade, and the office you hope to win.
What Should You Say In Your Student Council Speech?
Templates to help write a campaign speech usually contains these four components.
- Intro: State your name, what grade you are in, as well as the office you are running for.
- Main Points: Enumerate the main things you want to convey to those listening. These could be the important items you plan to address or issues you see in the school that need addressing. You may want more varied lunches, better options in the vending machines, safer parking for bikes, or seek to set up a community program.
- Qualifications: Besides hitting on the main points, don’t forget to explain why you are the best candidate for the job. If you have already served in an office, present the hard work you have already done for the school. What positives do you bring to the table?
- Conclusion: As you wrap up the speech, always remind the student body who you are and why they should vote for you. Sometimes a catchphrase is a good idea, or reminding them of one big thing you plan to do throughout the next school year.
What Are Some Things to Discuss When Running For Student Council?
Fundraising: Often, the school officers are expected to have ideas about raising money for the class. The class president may bring some great plans to the table on how to get funds to pay for fun things like dances or a class trip.
Future: Students need to be thinking ahead. As a class president or other elected official, it is your job to help classmates think about the future. High school students should be looking to their first class reunion, for example. Remind the class that you will be dedicated to bringing everyone back together 5 or 10 short years post-graduation.
Issues: Every school has things that students want to see improved upon. Whether your class hopes to lobby the district for an open campus or wants to see all items recycled throughout the building, think about issues that you believe students care about. A school election is a great time to bring the issues to the forefront.
Welcoming: Elected officials often need to remember that the constituents are important. A good tactic is to have a welcome speech tone so that the student body leaves feeling that your door will be open to them if you are elected. The mark of a good official is everyone feels represented.
How Long Should My Student Council Speech Be?
Although some schools have precise rules on time limits, 3-5 minutes is fairly typical. The best speeches have a good hook right off the bat and, after introducing yourself as a candidate, jump into just a few issues that will be important to those listening.
After you state the issues you plan to address, explain to your fellow students why you are the best person for the office you are running for. Whether you hope to be the student body president, treasurer, or council member, you want to elicit a feeling of confidence.
What Are The Benefits Of Being In Student Council?
There are many benefits to being on the student council.
- Better your school: This leadership opportunity will allow you to help improve things in your school, both big and small.
- Build friendships: What better way to get to know people than joining a leadership organization and doing some volunteer work?
- Leadership opportunities: Running for office helps build leadership. Even if you don’t win, it is a great chance for growth!
- Public speaking experience: Everyone should learn to get comfortable addressing a group of people.
- Resume building: As you apply for scholarships and college, your council experiences will look great on activities resumes.
- Self-improvement: Work on being a better version of yourself through service to others.
- Service projects: Whether you are improving your school or helping in the community, student council is a great way to participate in community service.