And the legacy continues… Join the Cottonwood SBO Family!
Calling all future LEADERS of Cottonwood!
We are excited to announce the Student Body Officer Elections for the 2024-25 school year! There are 8 Student Body Officers at Cottonwood High School. In April, after the SBO elections, we will hold Class Officer Elections. There are 5 Class Officers for each grade, so together, the 8 SBOs and the 20 Class Officers make up Cottonwood’s Student Government.
On this page you will find important information about the SBO election process and what it means to be an SBO at Cottonwood. We encourage any and all Juniors interested in becoming a leader to create a campaign! Please reach out Mrs. Hsiao (room 603), or email her at jehsiao@graniteschools.org, with any questions or concerns.
#GoColts #SBOFamily #ColtsAreGREAT #FutureLEADERSofCottonwood #HeedtheStampede
SBO Roles & Responsibilities
Requirements
ANY eligible Junior can run to be an SBO! We are looking for leaders, innovative thinkers and students who care about Cottonwood! An SBO cannot hold an executive leadership position in another organization at Cottonwood.
Academics
The requirement is a 3.0 GPA and a 3.0 CPA for Quarter 2. Both will be expected to be maintained while in office.
SBOs are required to be enrolled in the Student Government SBO class for the entire year. This class will include the 8 SBOs and most likely the 4 Class Presidents. Additionally, there will be an entire Student Government Homeroom class that will include all the SBOs and all the Class Officers.
Dedication
With a mountain of support, SBO’s are the appointed leaders of Cottonwood. The activities, events, assemblies and initiatives take a significant amount of time to plan. An SBO is not eligible to hold an executive leadership position in another organization at Cottonwood. Being elected as an SBO is a commitment that you will need to dedicate a considerable amount of time in order to fulfill your roles and responsibilities.
Additionally, we will have training for new SBOs EVERY Thursday afternoon from 2:15-3:00 pm through the end of this school year starting April 11. You will be required to attend all of these trainings.
Summer Planning
In order to be prepared for events at the beginning of the school year, we will need to complete important planning during the Summer Break. On average, we spend anywhere from 10-15 days throughout the summer working on Student Government tasks. Additionally, there is a required SBO Leadership Camp that is scheduled June 3-5 at USU.
Voting Calculations
Candidate Portfolio
40%
The portfolio will be reviewed and scored by a panel of administration, advisors, teachers and counselors.
Teacher Recommendations
20%
Advisors will send the recommendation forms to your teachers. Your role is to follow up with your teachers to ensure they have filled out the form.
Student Vote
(Faculty Vote for Secretary)
40%
Voting will take place March 27-28. Voting closes March 28 @ 3:00 PM. All current Cottonwood students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, AND Seniors can vote for SBOs!
Election Information Meeting
There will be an information meeting about SBO elections held on February 27, 2024 at 2:30 pm in room 603. If you are considering running for SBO office, you are required to attend or watch the presentation before you submit your Intent to Run form. The presentation will be posted here following the meeting.
Intent to Run
This form will acknowledge that you intend to run for a Student Body Officer position. You need to fill out this form by March 4 @ 8:00 PM. Any late Intent to Run submissions will receive a 10% deduction from the Teacher Recommendation score.
By the morning of March 5, you will receive the list of candidates running for each position. By that evening (March 5) at 8:00 PM, you may decide to switch positions ONE time.
Digital Application
After positions are finalized on March 5, then you should complete the Digital Application, which is due March 6 @ 8:00 PM. Any late Digital Applications will receive a 10% deduction from the Teacher Recommendations score.
The Digital Application includes basic contact information, verification of your grades for Quarter 2, and acknowledgement of SBO expectations, campaign regulations and campaign components.
On March 7, an advisor will share a Google Site with you through your Granite District Email. Follow the directions on the site to complete your Portfolio and Digital Campaign materials by March 20, @ 8:00 PM.
The Portfolio
Leadership Academy
First and foremost, SBO’s are the student LEADERS of Cottonwood. As such, developing strong leadership skills is an important foundation. The completion of the Leadership Academy not only indicates your dedication to becoming a G.R.E.A.T Leader, it supports your development of necessary skills. These lessons will be on your Google Site.
Resume
Your digital resume should include skills you possess and experience you have for the intended position. You will create a 1 page, creative and informative resume to highlight your abilities. This can be traditional resume style, an infographic, a Google Slides page or even a collage. Let your personality shine!
Video
This is a 1-minute speech introducing yourself to administration and the advisors. Your speech should outline your abilities and goals for the intended position. Try to be specific in what abilities you have, or want to develop, that showcase your leadership abilities.
Task & Scenario Response
For each position there are role specific responsibilities. For your portfolio, you will display your expertise for the position by showcasing your response to a task and a scenario. Each task is something you will encounter often within your position. Each scenario is modified from an actual event.
Click here for full portfolio directions and a description of the task & scenario for each position.
The Campaign
Video to Peers
30 seconds long
"Personality" & Initiatives
Must be a shareable YouTube Video Link!
Digital Material
Website Profile
Social Media Posts
Digital Poster
Campaign Activities
5 Regular Posters, 2 Banners
Candidate Q&A Video for Homerooms
Lunch Time Survey 3/25 & 3/27
View the Campaign Regulations for more details on each component. Additionally, all digital campaign materials will be submitted through a shared Google Site. Make sure to follow instructions carefully to ensure your campaign is successful!
Take It Step-by-Step
Intent to Run
DUE March 4 @ 8:00 PM
Intent to Run LINK
Fill out the information to declare your intent to run for office. Any late intent to run forms will receive a 10% deduction from the Teacher Recommendation score. On March 5, after receiving an email with the list of candidates running for office, you may change positions ONE time by emailing Mrs. Hsiao with the position you are are changing to.
Digital Application
DUE March 6 @ 8:00 PM
Digital Application LINK
The Election Packet includes important information about yourself and includes an acknowledgement from you and your guardian of expectations and requirements for Cottonwood High School Student Body Officers.
Portfolio
DUE March 20 @ 8:00 PM
The Portfolio will be completed on a Google Site which will be shared with each candidate after their digital application has been submitted. The portfolio will be graded by a panel of judges comprised of advisors, teachers, administration and counselors. All information about the portfolio can be found HERE
Campaign Materials
DUE March 20 @ 8:00 PM
Posters should be brought for approval to room 603 on March 20 @ 2:15-3:00PM
All other campaign materials are due March 20 @ 8:00 PM and will be submitted through the Google Site that will be shared with you. Details about the campaign materials can be found HERE
Final Step: Complete all Portfolio and Campaign Materials
Remember, all materials must be completed on your Google Site by March 20 at 8:00 PM when you will lose editing access to the site.
Campaign FAQs
How do I submit my campaign materials for approval?
An advisor will share a Google Sites template with your Granite District email. Do not change the template in any way except for adding all the required materials in the correct place on the template. Advisors has access to this and will remove your editing access as soon as the portfolio is due. All campaign materials will be submitted through this portfolio.
What is the SBO Meet the Candidates Q&A Video?
During campaign week, the Student Body will “Meet the Candidates” on a video in Homeroom. This video will be recorded during 6B on during the weeks leading up to campaign week. You will have 30 seconds to give a quick highlight of your initiatives for next year. Then, you will respond to 1 of the questions that you answered on your Google Site Q&A for Peers. This gives the Student Body the opportunity to see more of your personality!
When can I hang up my posters at school?
Once a poster has been approved by an advisor or current SBO, you may put it up starting at 2:15pm on March 20 . You may hang the poster on the brick surface walls using masking tape only. No duct tape or packing tape is permitted. Posters need to be reinforced with tape on the back and the front corners. If a poster falls down, it is your responsibility to hang it back up.
What if I can’t be at lunch to campaign 3/25 & 3/27?
The lunch campaign is not required. However, the interactions are valuable ways to earn votes! If you have any questions about the lunch campaign, please ask!
Help is HERE!
Running a campaign and creating a professional portfolio can be overwhelming! We have several supports for each candidate.
You can come talk to Mrs. Hsiao after school in room 603 most days for the two weeks leading up to campaign week.
Teacher Mentor: See Mrs. Hsiao for a teacher mentor who will help with posters, speeches, video creation and more!
Check your email daily. Mrs. Hsiao will provide updates, send reminders or contact you with any concerns.