There are 12 juniors running for NDB’s Associated Student Body (ASB) for the 2025-2026 school year. These candidates will fill only six leadership positions and will manage next year’s student government and various student-related activities.
On Tuesday, April 29, they will gather with the student body in the Moore Pavilion and each will deliver speeches on why students should choose them. Afterward, everybody will be dismissed back to their homerooms to practice their civic duty and vote for their representatives.
The Catalyst and Tiger TV reached out to the 12 students and asked them about their campaigns. They are listed in alphabetical order according to their last name.
The Catalyst (TC): What is an important quality in an ASB leader?
Sofia Castricone: The most important qualities in an ASB leader are that they’re super-energetic and dedicated to the school. These are important because, obviously, that’s one of the things that ASB does the most.
Helen Chen: I think the most important quality for running ASB is the ability to truly understand what students need and work together with passion. I have done over 450 service hours. I have learned how to connect with people, plan events and create a positive environment. I believe that is what ASB does. I grew up in a different country, which helped me to see things from a different perspective. I want to use that to help ASB to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone.
Natalia Cuneo: I would say it’s probably perseverance because getting everyone to always participate in spirit events and making sure that everyone’s spirited can be hard at times. But, [it’s about] keeping together, working as a team and continuing to support people as best you can.
Laila Daheb: I think one of the most important qualities of being an ASB leader is having an open mind and being super-collaborative and being super-open to having other people come to them with any of their ideas and figuring out ways to make them beneficial for our school.
Autumn Deetz-Rodriguez: I think one of the most important qualities an ASB candidate should have is the ability to have leadership skills and be able to lead the school community – You’re going to be leading rallies, games … and just to be part of the face of NDB is really important. Also, the ability to work together with your fellow peers and fellow classmates as well, because that can be a big role when you’re on ASB.
Lizzie Johnson: I think that being on ASB requires you to have drive and motivation to be one of our school officers. I think it’s the most important quality because you should love what you’re doing and I love this school – My mom went here, my sister went here, and I’m very involved, in general. So, I believe that loving what you do is important, and it’ll bring your whole aspects to the school and make everything more fun.
Julianna Loar: One of the most important qualities that I think an ASB leader should have is collaborative skills. ASB is like a team, so obviously we need to work together and communicate with each other to just come up with all those amazing ideas and fun things.
Olivia McGlynn: The most important quality that I see in an ASB leader is their passion for the school. For example, in spirit rallies, they’re just so excited to be there. I think that really shines out and makes the whole school excited. I like to say that I love school spirit, and I get really spirited in either sports games or Aquacades. I just love school spirit and, if elected, I want to bring that spirit to the school.
Isabella Michael: One of the most important qualities that I believe an ASB director should have is personability because, as the face of the student body, you never know who’s going to come up to you, asking for advice, because someone could be a clueless freshman, wondering about an event or a rally or things like that.
Camilla Qaqundah: I think one of the most important qualities is teamwork and the ability to work well with others to create a more safe environment, so that people have an opportunity to express their opinions and feel safe talking to me and the others.
Maisie Street: I think one of the most important attributes of an ASB member and leader is accountability. Accountability is so important because, when someone makes a mistake – which is bound to happen – it’s important to make up for it and put in the effort and hard work. I also think one of the most important things is joy. I think, in this community, the only way for us to have such fun spirit days and Aquacades is to have joy and exude that joy to the whole community.
Finley Wilke-Hiland: One of the most important qualities of an ASB leader is both leadership in spirit, but also just a well-rounded person, because ASB is not just made up of one person – It’s a group of people who work together. It’s just super important to be a leader because you set the example for, not just the lower classmen, but everyone in the school. If you’re spirited, everyone else will be spirited. If you are ready to dance, ready to talk, and always ready, everyone else will be. It’s just really important to be out there and not be afraid of anything.
The Catalyst (TC): What makes you unique from the other candidates?
Castricone: Something that sets me apart from other candidates is that I’m super-spirited, which means that our spirit weeks will be really fun next year.
Chen: My goal is to help students connect with the NDB community. I want everyone to feel comfortable to talk with me if they have any questions, concerns or ideas. We all should feel represented by ASB.
Cuneo: For what sets me apart, I think, honestly, just my leadership and how hard working I am … I’ve been on student council for three years, so I’ve learned … that everyone works differently, everyone works together differently, and everyone wants to do different things. Just learning how to communicate with others and making sure that everyone’s ideas are heard, and even the school’s ideas are heard, too, is very important.
What will I bring to the team? … It’s important that we all continue to work together, and everyone continues to love and support the school as much as possible and, honestly, be the face of the school. It’s very important to always be kind to everyone … because you are the leaders of the school.
Daheb: One thing that sets me apart from the other candidates is my compassion, empathy for others and my drive to show school spirit and express my ideas. I would bring to the table, my ideas and games that we can do during spirit weeks, and just focus on bringing classes, especially the sister classes, together.
Deetz-Rodriguez: I think something that sets me apart from the other candidates is that I am a hard worker and a leader. I use leadership skills when I use my time management skills as well, and that’s something that sets me apart. I may come off as quiet and shy, but I’m not. I’m just a really hard worker.
Johnson: Something that sets me apart from all the other candidates is that I actually run a successful business – a summer camp … It requires a lot of planning, a lot of fun events. It brings all these smaller kids together as a community. And, I think it really translates into planning events for the school – I planned birthday parties for that camp … So, it translates into building a better community for Notre Dame, in general.
My mom went here, so I learned a lot through alumnae, through her – She’s the alumnae president … My sister [went here] – She was on student council [for] all four years. So, I believe that this sets me apart from the other candidates. Also, just, my want to be on ASB. I’ve wanted to do it since freshman year, and I love … bringing everyone together and just having fun in general.
Loar: Something that sets me apart is my hard work and determination. When I put my mind to something, I work really hard to just achieve whatever that is. And, I know ASB is a really big time commitment, but I think that I’m ready to take that time and effort to just make NDB really special.
McGlynn: I like to say that I love school spirit, and I get really spirited in either sports games or Aquacades. I just love school spirit and, if elected, I want to bring that spirit to the school.
Michael: Something that sets me apart from the other candidates is my spirit and my creativity. Something that I would bring to the table that others won’t is possible new ideas for Aquacades themes, spirit day themes, rally games … because spirit is my beat. I think that I would bring something special to the table for that.
Qaqundah: Something that I think sets me apart from the other candidates is that I’m able to work with anyone in any situation. I think that I really work well with many different types of groups. One example that sets me apart is in my Journalism class – I was placed in a class with not many people that I know, and I was able to form lots of new friendships and work well and even take a leadership role, which really gave me a good head start of where I wanted to be for the next school year.
ASB is a perfect place for me, I believe, because I’m able to express my opinions, share new ideas, and work well with the other team members to create a safer and more fun environment. I really want the next school year to be the best it can be, and I have lots of ideas they’d love to bring to the table.
Street: I think something that sets me apart from the other candidates is that I, not only have been on student council [for] two years, [and] that I’m a twin. This may seem very trivial, but being a twin has made me learn many things about collaboration. I’ve had to share so many things in my life, and I now know the importance of collaboration and letting everybody do their part to make a difference. I think this will help me bring a new light to ASB and make sure everybody is doing their job, so that everybody can have a say in the Notre Dame community.
Wilke-Hiland: Something that sets me apart from the other candidates is, ever since I was little, I’ve always been a really creative person – I love to paint, I love to draw, I love to bedazzle things. I think, especially on ASB, I can bring my creative side to it: Making posters, making signs.
Also, I feel like … I have really grown in my leadership skills, especially since freshman year. I’ve been working with the Ambassador Club at different events and Open House, and I’ve really grown my public speaking skills and my leadership with older adults and parents because that’s definitely something that I had less experience [with] before I came to Notre Dame. I feel like my leadership skills and my creative skills, and just being open, being happy, [being] ready to meet new people, is something that I love to do …
The Catalyst (TC): What do you want students to take away from your speech?
Castricone: One thing that I want the community to take away from my speech is that I’m going to be there for everyone in the school and that anyone can come up to me with anything that they need.
Chen: I want to let people know that … I want to have a lasting impact on the NDB community, so that future students will feel more welcome and included. I’m grateful for everything I have learned from NDB, and I want to give back to the school. Another reason I’m running is that I believe I can be a great leader.
Cuneo: [My speech] explains my journey through school and my journey on different leadership teams, sports teams, different events, and working through difficult times and how this community really came and you all support each other.
Daheb: [The] main part of my speech is how I wanted to get into leadership when I was a freshman and me helping ASB during a certain event – That made me want to do more and help more with the school. Joining [the] Ambassador Board also helped accommodate that – Like, expressing my love for the school and expressing my ideas to feature for future events.
Deetz-Rodriguez: Something that I want the community to take away from my speech is that I am ready to be on ASB and be a leader and be a part of the big events that happen here at school, and to take action on problems that may come up, and just be a leader at rallies and games to make sure everyone’s hyped up as well.
Johnson: I want the community to take away that “a vote for me is a vote for we.” I want to be on ASB because I believe everybody should have a say in what we do at the school, and I believe that we all should have a voice in what Notre Dame has to offer.
Loar: What I want you guys to take away from my speech is that I really want next year to be shaped around your ideas and your voices – I want ASB to be a reflection of that. Also, it’s my fellow Sharks and I’s last year, so I just really want to make it into something really special and really fun.”
McGlynn: I want students to see who I am as a candidate and then see if that correlates with what they want as an ASB leader – and, hopefully it does – and then be able to make a decision on whether or not they vote for me. Hopefully, yes.”
Michael: Something that I want the community [to] take away from my speech is to never be afraid to try something new because you might love it. I’m involved in all kinds of activities at NDB. I always love trying something new – It’s where I found my love for theater, it’s where I found my love for cheer, and where I found my love for leadership. And, honestly, I was a little scared to run for ASB, but I’m really excited for this year.
Qaqundah: Something that I want the community to take away from my speech is to really just get to know me personally because I want this speech to be more of a personal statement and what my personality can bring to the next school year … [I want to] give new ideas that I have in mind for the next year, and [I] just to really [want them to] get to know me as a person, so that they know who they would possibly be electing for the next year …
Street: I would like everybody to take away from my speech that they need to have the confidence to step in and do what they love. At Notre Dame, I know it might be scary your freshman year or sophomore year, but I have found a confidence in myself where I can become the person I truly want to be. On ASB next year, I hope to instill that confidence in every single person, and I hope my speech emulates this idea.
Wilke-Hiland: [What] I want the community to take away from my speech is that … I want people to be excited to come to school each day, especially at an all-girls school. Being a teenage girl, I think it can be really hard to balance both spirit and fun with school and hard work. So, I think it’s super important.
I want people to know that I’m always going to be there for them if anyone needs it and, no matter what, we have a community of people who will bring us up. I just think high school is so short, even though four years seems so daunting in the beginning – … Make the most of everything you have. We have so many resources here at Notre Dame, so I think taking advantage of that is the best thing.
Quotes were lightly edited for clarity and length.
