By Jake Furst ’16, Staff Writer

On Friday, January 24, each grade’s Class Officers opened the floor to “voice proposals,” student suggestions for improvements to the Newark Academy experience.  The proposals are diverse — tackling such topics as breakfast prices, academic policy, and the dress code.  Successful proposals in the past have included Casual Fridays, the three assessment limit, and the famed Frozen Yogurt machine. The event is a proud symbol of the character of Newark Academy, where, according to the school website, “students take an active role in their education.”

Newark Academy is unique in the sense that students are encouraged to work alongside the faculty and administration to improve both their experience and the experience of future students at the school. Not many schools offer students the opportunity to become involved and make positive change in their environment, and many students in the past have jumped at the chance to join school committees, create new clubs, and institute new programs at the school. Such groups as the Food Task Force, the Global Speaker Committee, and the New Wing Design Committee are all representative of the student input that goes into running the school.

However, when the School Council met to discuss this year’s voice proposals, it became apparent that the ideas lacked creativity and thoughtfulness when compared to those of previous years.  Among the most popular ideas were a delayed opening after the Super Bowl and a policy that would make it mandatory for teachers to post their students’ grades online for viewing. Morgan Goldberg ’15, a junior on the council, commented, “It felt like the students this year did not care as much as they did last year or the year before.” Without enthusiastic students, voice proposals can never be a vehicle for change as they are intended to be.

One explanation for the diminished quality of the proposals could be that Newark Academy has become especially sensitive to the needs of the student body, rendering any further proposals trivial.  Sophomore Karina Mehta said, “Nothing really came to mind when I tried to think of things that really needed to change or be fixed.”  This mindset was a popular one among students who were asked why they did not raise their hands to propose an idea.  It is certainly true that the school experience is a pleasurable one, especially when compared to other high schools.  However, no school is perfect, and it is improbable that there is nothing that could be fixed around the Academy.

Another, more unfortunate explanation, is that students are taking such opportunities for granted.  Mr. Hawk, a teacher in the Humanities department, believes that “unfortunately, some students do not realize the potential influence they can have on this school.”  It is important for students to realize that they have a very real chance to leave a legacy behind at the school by making change.  Newark Academy is not just a place where we take classes and prepare for college, it is a chance for all of us to make an impact on a community that has shaped who we are.