Class presidents discuss plans for final year

As this year comes to a close, the class officers for Rider’s final year have been elected, and the presidents all plan to make next year extra special.

Eddison Stewart, who will be Rider’s last senior class president, served as junior class president this past year.

“We stepped it up a little bit,” Stewart said. “We’re used to the junior officers just being known for doing prom, but we wanted to be bigger and better.”

Stewart was hopeful to be an officer, but wasn’t sure of his chances of being class president again.

“I had faith in the process,” Stewart said. “I knew that whoever won would’ve deserved it and done a good job. So I was really surprised.”

Stewart has been brainstorming ideas to make next year better than ever.

“We’ve been doing a lot of research and we’re going to bring a lot of old traditions back,” Stewart said. “I know the counselors have about 30 old yearbooks, and I’ve been looking through those and pulling ideas. Like what did they do in the ’70s and what did they do in the ’80s at Rider?”

With the closing of Rider as a high school next year, Stewart wants to raise the bar and try new things.

“It’s bittersweet, it’s sad, but we’re just going to make it a great final year,” Stewart said.

Current sophomores Georgia Bindel and James Miller have been elected co-presidents of the junior class for next year.

“I think it’s cool that we’ll be able to plan some of the last big events,” Miller said.

As junior class presidents, the two will take on the challenge of planning Rider’s last prom.

“We plan to make prom really great by taking in people’s suggestions to find out what they want to have,” Bindel said.

Bindel and Miller both have mixed feelings about the closing of Rider.

“I’m sad that we won’t be able to graduate from here, but new things are good sometimes,” Miller said.

Despite how sad it is, the two want next year to be extra special for everyone.

“Let’s have a great last year and go all-out for the spirit days,” Bindel said.

Current freshman Leila Dillard was surprised she got elected next year’s sophomore class president, but is grateful for the opportunity.

“I’m really excited about it,” Dillard said. “It makes me really happy that I got elected. It’s going to be super fun.”

Dillard, who’s dad has been a Rider coach for the past 10 years, also has mixed feelings about the closing of the school after next year.

“It’s kind of sad because I grew up with Rider, but it makes me happy that I got selected,” Dillard said. “I really hope that this last year will be fun because I want to go out with a bang.”