Angelina Hermes is a grade 12 student at St. Joseph’s Catholic High School and the recently-elected student council prime minister for the 2021-2022 school year.
In her first year of high school, she joined the student council after being elected to represent the grade 9 students. It was a nerve-wracking experience for her, especially because she knew nobody in her grade - having gone to a completely French school for eight years before going to St. Joe’s. Since then, she has been highly active within the school community, volunteering yearly at the Grade 8 Night and the alumni night in the 2019-2020 school year, along with the numerous clubs she has joined at St. Joe’s. To date, Angelina is a member of the Student Council, the Debate Team, the Upcycled Climate Club, the Cancer Youth Troop, the Social Justice Club (which she is now the vice president of), and Laser News.
One of her first goals during her presidency is to have a successful orientation for the grade 9 and 10 students. “I wanted to do something that was different from the other years,” she said. “Something the school has never done.”
Angelina’s current plan is to give the new students an interactive and entertaining experience, focusing on activities, giveaways, and what the school has to offer, especially in the French Immersion program, which she felt was underrepresented.
She noted her experience as a French Immersion student to be ‘comfortable,’ calling it a “second home,” but felt that the program did not get much publicity from the school.
Outside of school, Angelina is very involved in her church community. As a woman of Lebanese descent, she always volunteers yearly for her church’s Lebanese festival and their food drive. She is very proud of her cultural background and grew up speaking both Arabic and French at home. She sees her parents as her biggest inspiration, saying: “My parents literally travelled across the globe to give me and my siblings a better future. They always inspire me to do better in school, to get myself out there, to experience better things … I’m happy I have the opportunity to express my roots at St. Joe’s.”
Aside from school and volunteering responsibilities, Angelina enjoys writing and reading poetry, theatre, music, and spending time with her friends. She has a passion for biology, chemistry, & physics and wishes to go into a STEM-related program after graduating. Angelina hopes to take advantage of her last year of high school, mentioning some goals like going outside more often, staying in contact with and meeting new people, and taking care of her wellbeing.
When asked about advice for the grade 9 and 10 students this year, Angelina recommended taking advantage of every opportunity the school offers, getting out of your comfort zone, and prioritizing mental health. “Don’t neglect your mental health, and don’t neglect how you feel. - put yourself first.”
Throughout her high school career, Angelina has been a very significant part of the school life at St. Joe’s. Now in a position of power, she hopes to change the school for the better during this school year. “[The students] can always contact me so I can help them in any way,” she says, noting that the comfort of the students is always a top priority.
With great power comes great responsibility, but considering Angelina’s high school track record, it is safe to say that the school will be in good hands.