The Coppell High School Student Council has had a great deal of amplification in the 2022-2023 school year. With more than 550 current members, StuCo is embracing Coppell’s pride as displayed by the surge in school spirit through dress-up days, leadership opportunities, donation drives and awareness projects.

“Student Council is the premier umbrella of every high school because it brings all the students together while learning about significant issues,” CHS Student Council co-sponsor Benjamin Stroud said. “We consider this club as the ‘ears’ for [CHS Principal Laura Springer] and[CISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt], especially with motivating each student to embrace our school’s spirit.”

StuCo co-sponsors Stroud and William Harington have made it a priority to instill the Cowboy GRIT Philosophy: gratitude, respect, integrity and trust. Having this core philosophy enforced by the advisors helps keep the officers on track and the members aware of qualities they ought to employ. 

With 20 StuCo officers and representatives, Stroud and Harrington think having a dedicated class, solely for the leadership team, is beneficial. The class manages the “behind-the-scenes” work and prepares for general meetings. The StuCo class lays the groundwork, such as the halls getting decorated with colorful, vibrant posters for the upcoming dress-up days or football game themes.

“I love being on the officer team because it feels like we’re all a big family,” senior class president Emily Chang said. “We all love hanging out with each other and spend so much time together planning projects, creating, reviewing designs or simply studying because of how comfortable Stroud and Harrington have gotten us to be with each other.”

Beginning the 2022-23 school year, Stroud had one main goal: to make the Coppell student body well-known further beyond Coppell as the organization also pays state and national dues for membership in the Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC). With the intention for this club to be the largest organization at CHS, he wants the officers who have led the student body to be the ones people go to when asking the broad question, “What are ways we can improve Coppell High School?” 

“Being a sponsor for StuCo at the ninth grade center last year really encouraged me to go for the advisor spot at the CHS club,” Harrington said. “What really differentiates the club at both campuses is the size in the multitude of events we’re in charge of including football games, service-based events, homecoming and prom, but I’ve really enjoyed the fact that I have the privilege of getting to know many more students.”

Due to the change in sponsors, the homecoming dance took much more careful planning, time, and effort in comparison to those in years prior. Last year, the StuCo team began preparing for the event two weeks in advance; however, for the current school year, the sponsors and officers started designing during the summer. 

“With our new sponsor team, Stroud has made this year a lot more engaging for each member by increasing the required number of points, along with adding an ample amount of opportunities to acquire those points,” Chang said. “Our guidance has become a lot more organized because now we have a set plan of what all of us are supposed to be doing each month based on which organization we are working with at that time.”

Many more exciting and interactive events are taking place as Stroud and Harrington have focused on doing a service-based project benefiting Coppell each month; such as  a dodgeball tournament, canned food drive and a male-based pageant called “Mr. Coppell.” 

“When you’re included in such a huge group that has weight and power with the student body at the high school, it fosters Coppell’s patriotism,” Harrington said. “Being a part of student council benefits each member as they add to the positive energy being embraced through school spirit, providing them with leadership tools, in the rigorous academic environment students are constantly surrounded in.”

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