Behind every class, there is a class council. A class council supports and represents their class. They give a good reputation to their class name based on their efforts to coordinate multiple events. But class councils can’t do it alone. Class councils have multiple components that enable them to work together successfully.

One necessary component is a class advisor. A class advisor is the backbone of every class council. Giving advice when needed, supervising, and dealing with technical aspects such as paperwork are only some of the most important responsibilities of any class advisor. Fulfilling these responsibilities is crucial for the success of class councils. Not only do class councils have someone to guide them, someone they can ask questions imperative to planning and coordinating events, but they also have a role model to look up to, someone who can inspire them and suggest ideas based on their personal experiences. However, being a class advisor isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Mrs. Jennifer Arre is the class advisor for the 2023 Midnight Warrior freshman council.  Before she took on the role of being a class advisor, it was Arre’s first year of being a full-time teacher with numerous organizations already under her care. She is one of the coaches for Malama Mentors, an advisor for We Are Micronesia, and an assistant coach for the Science Olympiad. Arre has a  bachelor’s degree in political science, a J.D., and an M.A. in Teaching’. Prior to teaching, Arre gained experience in politics and civic engagement as a political analyst and chief of staff for politicians, and in the corporate world as a legal department supervisor for a business processing outsourcing.

Mrs. Eunice Fukunaga, one of Waipahu High School’s assistant principals, approached Arre and asked her if she wanted to be a class advisor. Fukunaga explains the obligations and responsibilities of the role. Along with having a passion for helping the youth and wanting to cultivate their potential, evident through her existing possibilities, Arre had support from her co-workers who encouraged her to take on the task.

As a class advisor, as with any responsibility, Arre encounters many obstacles. Multitasking and time management are among the most crucial and challenging. It is difficult to find time to work between her previous commitments and her new role.  Arre said, “It requires a lot of time and commitment.”

Another challenge Mrs. Arre mentioned is “space, meaning venue of things that they actually do. So we need a bigger area for planning.”

The enjoyable aspects of being a class advisor balance these challenges. Arre said that the most enjoyable aspect of being a class advisor is “Productivity, meaning not only group but individual growth of the members, and of course the results and outcomes of the events that they do and the activities that they do for the class. Their growth, their maturity, and of course their vision for their class as a whole.” To watch students go from brainstorming to achieving their desired goal is a gratifying experience for Arre. The opportunity to see all their hard work pay off is what she finds most enjoyable about being a class advisor.

Communication is another necessary component. The 2023 class council has multiple committees that handle different responsibilities. Some examples are the building committee, clean up committee, fundraising committee, t-shirt committee, attendance committee, assignment committee, activity coordinators, historians, and bulletin managers.

New committees can be created depending on what new responsibilities arise. According to Arre, “It depends on what they actually need to do or what activities or events they actually plan.” To collaborate between committees, the student council has to maintain open communication lines to ensure success in future events. Conducting meetings is an efficient way to discuss and collaborate with their committees, yet scheduling meetings is challenging. Considering Arre’s multiple commitments and students balancing assignments from several classes, there isn’t a lot of time to have meetings. Subsequently, communicating with one another is crucial to the success of a class council.

Having a role in a class council isn’t a responsibility that shouldn’t be taken lightly. A class advisor must continuously guide and supervise the class council, offer advice, and help maintain communication between the multiple committees. Additionally, the class council must work diligently. They must manage the connections between the multiple committees that are involved in planning events and activities. Above all, a class council’s most important responsibility is to make the effort to represent and support their class as a whole.