Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — Student Government Association (SGA) elections at the Loring Job Corps Center were held on Feb. 7 for students to choose which candidates they wanted to represent them for the coming months.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Jonathan Lugo deposited his SGA vote on Feb. 2.
The student ballot was slim this year due to more stringent requirements placed on students who wished to become elected officials on the Job Corps campus.
“Whereas it used to be that any student could run for election, it’s now a whole structured process,” said center leadership development officer, Vera Ford. “Students have to fill our an application to run, there are signatures that you have to get from the staff, and then they have to submit a resume and go through an interview process,” she added. “They’re not only learning the civics of voting, but also the processes they’re going to have to follow when they’re looking for jobs.”
It was expected that 330 students would submit their ballots
“The SGA works with the staff on changing some of the rules and policies at the center,” Ford explained. “They work with the staff on determining incentives for doing positive work and are occasionally very instrumental in deciding how allocated funds are spent.”
Larissa Andrade was one of the students who ran for office this election under the new stringent requirements.
“I was nervous giving my speech in front of over 300 people,” she said, “but it went well.” SGA-elected officials will have to attend a mandatory bi-weekly meeting in addition to any other obligations they may have at the center.
“I’m a switchboard manager for my class and supply clerk for my wing,” said Brittany Ramsey who ran for secretary unopposed, “but performing multiple duties is something that you have to get used to because when we get out into the real world, we’re going to be expected to be able to multitask.”
Former SGA member Shakia Wynn was present assisting with the voting process.
“To be a member of the SGA, you need to be able to think fast on your feet and you have to mean what you say,” she said, though she admitted that the extra responsibility was easy for her.
“It’s not as easy as it seems,” she explained, “but as long as the new elected officials can stand their ground, everything should be all right.”
