Social:Class president

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Short description: Leader of a student body class

For the book by Johanna Hurwitz, see Class President (children's book).
Class President of Student Council / Class Committee
The Japan Student Council Organization discussed student councils
Student Council
TypeStudent leadership / Youth leadership
StatusActive
Member ofClass Committee or Student Council
Reports toSchool Administration/ Student Council President
NominatorClass peers or Student Council
AppointerElected by classmates
Term length1 academic year
May be re-elected
Unofficial namesClass Rep
DeputyStudent Vice President

Template:Students rights sidebar

Class president, also known as a class representative, is a student leadership, student voice, and or a youth leadership, role commonly found in primary, secondary, and post-secondary institutions. The position typically involves representing the interests of a specific grade level or classroom, facilitating communication between students and school administration, and helping coordinate student-led events within a student council.[1][2][3]

The practice of electing a class president is common in many countries worldwide.

Overview

Class presidents are usually elected by their peers within a single grade level. They often serve alongside a class cabinet—such as vice president, secretary, and treasurer—and may work in cooperation with a broader student council or student government organization. Their responsibilities vary by institution but often include promoting student activities & student engagement, addressing class concerns, and organizing events such as dances, fundraisers, or graduation activities.[4][5][6]

Student council

Main articles: Social:Student council, Students' representative council, and Class officers

A student council is a representative body composed of students elected by their peers to address school-related matters and promote student interests. While structures vary by country and institution, student councils often include roles such as president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer. In many systems, the class president serves as a member or delegate within the broader council structure. The house system is a traditional feature of schools in the United Kingdom.

Display in University High School, Victoria, with the names of the former school houses.

Two related but distinct bodies often exist: the student council, led by a student council president, and class committees, led by class presidents.[7][8]

The student council/government/ASB, represents the entire student body and manages school-wide activities and policies. The student council president is supported by other student leaders. Class committees represent individual classes or grades, handling class-specific activities and concerns while cooperating with the student council.[9]

Typical roles in student council and class committees
Role Description Typical Holder
Advisor Oversees the committee and coordinates with administration Teacher or Assistant Principal
President Leads the student committee, representing the whole school or single grade/class Student
Vice President Assists the president and acts as deputy Student
Secretary Records meetings and handles documentation Student
Treasurer Manages finances and budgeting Student
Committee Members Organize specific events or tasks, such as fundraisers or dances Student

Responsibilities

Typical duties of a class president include:[10][11]

  • Leading class meetings and representing class opinions to faculty or school administration
  • Organizing student activities, such as spirit days, school assembly, student orientation or fundraising events[12]
  • Coordinating class fundraising efforts, especially for senior year events such as school dances (sometimes Junior Prom), homecoming, prom or graduation[13]
  • Acting as a liaison between students and school authorities[14]
  • Promoting unity and school spirit within the class.

Some schools also assign class presidents roles in managing class funds, overseeing student service initiatives, or contributing to school governance. The term of office for a class president is one year in most schools. The student holding the office usually has the option of running again for the coming year.[15][16][17]

Comparison with student body president

Unlike a class president, a student body president (also called school president or student government president or associated student body (A.S.B) president) represents the entire student population across all grade levels. They are typically responsible for larger policy initiatives and school-wide leadership efforts. Working in the student lounge or student activity center[18][19][20]

Senior-class president

The senior class president specifically represents students in their final year of high school or college. They typically carry heightened responsibilities, including:[21][22]

  • Planning graduation ceremonies and events
  • Organizing senior trips and farewell activities
  • Beginning alumni networking efforts
  • Coordinating future class reunions

School Captain

A school captain is a student appointed or elected to lead the student body of a school, usually in their final year. The role is similar to a student body president in the United States and represents students in interactions with faculty and the wider community.[23][24] School captains are mainly found in British Empire legacy school systems: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India, etc. In some schools, the captain may also hold the position of head prefect.

The role is less common in the United Kingdom, where Head Boy and Head Girl positions are more typical.[25][26] Captains are often recognized by a badge or other symbol of office. They are usually responsible for representing the school at events, and will make public speeches.[27] They also serve as a role model for students, and may share pupils' ideas with the school's leadership. They may also be expected to lead fellow prefects in their duties. In most cases, a deputy head boy and girl will be appointed to assist and deputise the head boy and girl. They may have to do charity events, speak in assemblies, help out in parents evenings, and open days.

By country

Japan

The class system was introduced in Empire of Japan in 1885 (Meiji 18). It began to be implemented in large schools in the early 1880s.[28][29][30]

After the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, discussions on student participation and opinion rights increased, involving lawyers, educators, and forming tripartite councils among schools, guardians, and students. Student councils' roles expanded, although some declined.[31] 宮下 与兵衛 (2016). 高校生の参加と共同による主権者教育. かもがわ出版. ISBN 978-4-7803-0834-1. 

China

In China, the head of a class is commonly known as the “class representative” (班代表) or “class leader” (班長).[32] Additionally, there are often designated student officers for each academic subject.[33]

Europe

Schools in other parts of Europe such as in Germany and Austria, secondary schools use the term "student speaker" ("Schülersprecher" in Germany, "Schulsprecher" in Austria) for schoolwide student representatives and "class representative" ("Klassensprecher") for classroom representatives.[34] Similarly, the Netherlands high schools are using the term "class representative" ("klassenvertegenwoordiger")[35][36][37]

Italy

In Italy, the rappresentante d’istituto (institution representative) is an elected student who serves on the school's Consiglio d’Istituto (Institute Council), the main governing body of a secondary school.[38] This role was introduced by the 1974 delegated education laws.[39]

These representatives attend council meetings, voice student concerns, and may organize assemblies or activities. They also coordinate the Comitato studentesco,(student committee), made up of class representatives.[40][41]

Elections are held annually, typically in October or November. Students vote using the D'Hondt method, and three or four representatives are elected, depending on school size.[42] Terms last one year.[43][44]

Philippines

In the Philippines, class presidents are part of a larger structure of student government recognized by the Department of Education. Elections are held annually, and class officers often coordinate activities, projects, and represent students at school-level assemblies.[45]

United Kingdom

Many UK secondary schools operate a Student Council or similar body, typically composed of elected representatives from each form group and supported by members of the senior leadership team.

In some schools, students in Year 12 may apply or be nominated for senior student leadership roles. These may include a Head Boy and Head Girl, along with their deputies, collectively referred to as the Heads of School.[46] Other schools may appoint a School Captain and Vice-Captain, either as alternative or additional titles[47]. The specific structure and responsibilities of these roles vary by institution.[48]

Selected students in the final year may also serve as prefects.[49] Prefect systems differ across schools but often include roles such as Senior Prefect, Welfare Captain, and various specialist positions covering areas like sport, co-curricular involvement, public relations, or community service.[50]

Some schools maintain a Student Representative Council (SRC) made up of elected students. Peer support schemes are also common, where older students—often from Year 10—are assigned to help younger students, particularly those new to the school in Year 7.[51][52]

United States

School council

In California, public schools that receive state or federal funding are required to establish a School Site Council (SSC), composed of parents, teachers, students, school administrators, and other staff. The SSC develops and monitors a school site plan, aligns the budget with categorical funds, and recommends the Single Plan for Student Achievement to the school board.[53]

The SSC president, who may be a student, is elected by council members and can serve alongside a class president or student body president. Similar councils exist in other states, including Texas (Site-Based Decision-Making Committees), Kentucky (School-Based Decision Making Councils), and Illinois (Local School Councils), among others.[54][55][56]

Template:Manga The stereotype of the class president has been featured prominently in books films, and television[57][58] Common portrayals include the class president as a high-achieving, rule-following student—often either the socially popular figure or the academic underdog who unexpectedly claims the title. Since the early 20th century, the class presidency has also been used metaphorically in political allegory, including analogies for figures such as the president of the United States to roles for African-American women in the U.S. Congress.[59][60]

In anime , manga , light novels, and video games set in school environments, student councils; and by extension, class presidents are frequently depicted, often wielding exaggerated levels of authority.[61] These portrayals commonly reflect hierarchical structures or political satire within youth-centered storytelling.[62][63][64]

Fictional class presidents

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Notable fictional characters who have held the title of class president include:

  • Pedro Sánchez, played by Efren Ramirez, runs for class president in the film Napoleon Dynamite (2004).
  • Zach Siler, played by Freddie Prinze Jr., is the popular jock and class president in the film She's All That (1999).
  • Wilford "Wil C" Cardon, class president in the independent film The Rise of Number 45, produced by DJ Iggy.
  • Jessie Spano, played by Elizabeth Berkley, is class president at Bayside High School in the television series Saved by the Bell.
  • Ryoko Asakura serves as class president in the anime The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.
  • Tracy Flick, played by Reese Witherspoon, runs for class president in the film Election (1999).
  • Steve Holt, played by Justin Grant Wade, is class president of the high school attended by George Michael Bluth and Maeby Fünke in the series Arrested Development.
  • Mizuki Kirimiya appears as the class president in the visual novel Yume Miru Kusuri.
  • Courtney from Total Drama Island is mentioned as having run for class president before participating in the show.
  • In My Hero Academia, both first-year classes of the U.A. Hero Course elect representatives. Class 1-A's president is Tenya Iida; Class 1-B's is Itsuka Kendo.
  • Misaki Ayuzawa is the student council president in the anime and manga Maid Sama!.
  • Medaka Kurokami is elected student council president in Medaka Box.
  • Makoto Niijima student council president Persona 5.
  • Angel Beats!
  • Lisa's Substitute
  • A Dark Rabbit Has Seven Lives
  • After School Dice Club
  • Angel Beats! 1st Beat
  • Asobi Asobase
  • Battle Spirits: Shounen Toppa Bashin
  • Black Closet
  • Block Z
  • Bloom Into You
  • Bully (video game)
  • Bump Off Lover
  • Castle Town Dandelion
  • Characters of Persona 3
  • Charlotte (TV series)
  • Citrus (manga)
  • Daily Lives of High School Boys
  • Dragonar Academy
  • Ebiten: Kōritsu Ebisugawa Kōkō Tenmonbu
  • Flunk Punk Rumble
  • GaruGaku
  • Gokujō!! Mecha Mote Iinchō
  • Software:H2O: Footprints in the Sand
  • Haganai
  • Hanayamata
  • Harriet the Spy (film)
  • Hogwarts
  • Home Movies season 2
  • If Her Flag Breaks
  • Jump Start (comic strip)
  • K-On!
  • Kanokon
  • Kill la Kill
  • Lady Penelope
  • Le Péril jeune
  • Love Lab
  • Love Live! School Idol Project
  • Love Live! Superstar!!
  • Made (TV series)
  • Majisuka Gakuen
  • Makeover (Glee)
  • Making Fiends (web series)
  • Red Data Girl
  • Missions of Love
  • My Sister, My Writer
  • My Wife Is the Student Council President
  • Night of the Twisters (film)
  • Omega Labyrinth
  • Oresama Teacher
  • Parfait Tic!
  • Phantom Thief Jeanne
  • Photo Kano
  • Pretty Boy Detective Club
  • Sabagebu!
  • Sakura Trick
  • See Me After Class
  • Seitokai Yakuindomo
  • Son of Interflux
  • Sora no Manimani
  • Stuart Farrimond
  • The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends
  • The Asterisk War
  • The Girl Next Door (2004 film)
  • The Secret Notes of Lady Kanoko
  • Software:To Heart 2: Dungeon Travelers
  • Tropical-Rouge! Pretty Cure
  • Tsuredure Children
  • Twinkle Crusaders
  • Vixens (manga)
  • Wagamama High Spec
  • Wayside: The Movie
  • Why the Hell Are You Here, Teacher!? - Saya Matsukaze (松風 さや, Matsukaze Saya) student council president.Vol. 5
  • Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches - Urara Shiraishi, the ace student at the school.

Alumni

Notable individuals who served as class president. Some students have held leadership positions such as class president, head boy/girl, or school captain. See List of individuals who served as student leaders in schools for the full roster.

See also

  • American Student Government Association
  • Massachusetts State Student Advisory Council
  • Senior man
  • Student prank
  • School uniform

References

  1. ↑ Pierre, Jeffrey (2019-06-23). "Reflections On Friends, Hardship And 4 Years Of High School" (in en). NPR. https://www.npr.org/2019/06/23/731976162/reflections-on-friends-hardship-and-fours-years-of-high-school. 
  2. ↑ Brown, Sean (2023-10-27). "The Roles and Responsibilities of a Class President in Elementary School" (in en-US). https://www.appgecet.co.in/the-roles-and-responsibilities-of-a-class-president-in-elementary-school/. 
  3. ↑ "Responsibilities of a Student Council President". https://www.collegevine.com/faq/157613/responsibilities-of-a-student-council-president. 
  4. ↑ "ASB Elections" (in en). https://delnorte.powayusd.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=3755452&type=d&pREC_ID=2437054. 
  5. ↑ "Class President Guide". Smith College Alumnae Relations. https://www.smith.edu/sites/default/files/media/Documents/Alumnae-Relations/class-president-guide.pdf. 
  6. ↑ "Senior Class President Duties". Leaf Group Ltd.. https://www.theclassroom.com/senior-class-president-duties-8753958.html. 
  7. ↑ "Get Involved in Student Leadership | Woodbridge High School". https://woodbridgehigh.iusd.org/students/asb/get-involved-student-leadership. 
  8. ↑ "National Student Council" (in en-US). 2023-11-24. https://www.natstuco.org/leadership-development/national-student-council/. 
  9. ↑ "Student Government In High School And College". https://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/student-government/. 
  10. ↑ "The 6 Roles of a Student President". 14 March 2019. https://studentorgsuccess.com/2019/03/14/the-6-roles-of-a-student-president/. 
  11. ↑ "Description of Officer Positions". Charles County Public Schools. https://cdnsm5-ss3.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_244352/File/SGA/2021/Description%20Officer%20Positions.pdf. 
  12. ↑ "Student Government Constitution" (in en). https://meded.georgetown.edu/studentservices/groups/studentgovernment/gusomconstitution/. 
  13. ↑ Langum, D.J. and Walthall, H.P. (1997) From Maverick to Mainstream: Cumberland School of Law, 1847-1997. University of Georgia Press.
  14. ↑ (2004) Letters to the Next President: What We Can Do About the Real Crisis in Public Education. Teachers College Press. p. 247.
  15. ↑ "Class President Job Description". Hamilton College. https://www.hamilton.edu/alumni/aa/class-president-job-description. 
  16. ↑ "Student Council Job Duties". Texas Association of Student Councils. https://www.tasconline.org/student-council-job-duties. 
  17. ↑ "Class Leader: Who Is He and What Are His Responsibilities?". https://vogueindustry.com/-class-leader-who-is-he-and-what-are-his-responsibilities. 
  18. ↑ Yuracko, K.A. (2003) Perfectionism and Contemporary Feminist Values. Indiana University Press. p 96.
  19. ↑ "ASB Eligibility" (in en). https://www.materdei.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=2430308&type=d&pREC_ID=2230699. 
  20. ↑ "Student Council Overview". Arroyo Grande High School. https://cdnsm5-ss18.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_27732804/File/Student/Student%20Council%20Information/student%20council%20overview.pdf. 
  21. ↑ "Class Presidents Handbook". University of Pennsylvania. https://www.alumni.upenn.edu/s/1587/images/gid2/editor_documents/classes_and_reunions-non_reunion_docs/class_presidents_handbook_2019.pdf. 
  22. ↑ "Examining the Roles and Responsibilities of Student Government Officers". Wayland Student Press Network. 11 February 2022. https://waylandstudentpress.com/54548/articles/examining-the-roles-and-responsibilities-of-student-government-officers/. 
  23. ↑ "Student Leadership Roles". 
  24. ↑ "School Captains and House Captains - Conservatorium High School". https://conservat-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/about-our-school/learning/supporting-our-students/student-leadership/school-captains-and-house-captains.html. 
  25. ↑ Görgülü, Deniz; Coşkun, Fatma; Sipahioğlu, Mete; Demir, Mustafa (2024-08-16). "Classification of Student Leadership Profiles in Diverse Governance Settings: Insights from Pisa 2022" (in en). Behavioral Sciences 14 (8): 718. doi:10.3390/bs14080718. ISSN 2076-328X. PMID 39199114. 
  26. ↑ "What does being a school captain mean? – ProfoundQa" (in en-US). 2022-12-19. https://profoundqa.com/what-does-being-a-school-captain-mean/. 
  27. ↑ "Head boy definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary" (in en). https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/head-boy. 
  28. ↑ Fukaya, Masashi (October 1983). "Gakureki shugi to gakkō bunka [Credentialism and School Culture]" (in ja). Kyoiku Shakaigaku Kenkyu [The Journal of Educational Sociology] 38: 59–75. doi:10.11151/eds1951.38.59. 
  29. ↑ "Meiji Development: Modernization of Education – Rutgers Meets Japan: Early Encounters" (in en-US). https://sites.rutgers.edu/rutgers-meets-japan/our-exhibition/meiji-development-modernization-of-education/. 
  30. ↑ 猪股, 大輝 (July 31, 2020). 占領期文部省における生徒会論の成立過程に関する一考察 : 戦後公民教育構想から『新しい中学校の手引』まで (Thesis) (in 日本語). The University of Tokyo.
  31. ↑ 宮下 与兵衛 (2016). 高校生の参加と共同による主権者教育. かもがわ出版. ISBN 978-4-7803-0834-1. 
  32. ↑ Tone, Sixth (2018-10-24). "Why China's Student Leaders Are Turning Into Tiny Tyrants". https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1003106. 
  33. ↑ Zaobao, China Desk, Lianhe. "Why a Harvard graduation speech hit a nerve in China" (in en). https://www.thinkchina.sg/society/why-harvard-graduation-speech-hit-nerve-china. 
  34. ↑ "Germany | School leadership | Education Profiles". https://education-profiles.org/europe-and-northern-america/germany/~school-leadership. 
  35. ↑ "The role of class representative comes naturally to Stas Shchedrovitskaya: 'The school listens to us'" (in en). https://www.han.nl/international/en/articles/2024/05/the-role-of-class-representative-comes-naturally-to-stas-shchedrovitskaya-the-school-listens-to-us/. 
  36. ↑ "Class Representatives | The LAU School of Pharmacy" (in en). https://pharmacy.lau.edu.lb/students/class_representatives/. 
  37. ↑ "Hoe word ik Student Representative / klassenvertegenwoordiger van mijn cohort? : Bedrijfskunde Services". https://bedrijfskunde-services.rsm.nl/support/solutions/articles/80000991801-hoe-word-ik-student-representative-klassenvertegenwoordiger-van-mijn-cohort-. 
  38. ↑ "MIUR - Scuola e famiglia - Organi collegiali". https://archivio.pubblica.istruzione.it/scuola_e_famiglia/organi.shtml. 
  39. ↑ "Rappresentanti degli studenti | Istituto di Istruzione Superiore Giovanni Falcone" (in it). https://www.falconeiis.edu.it/drupal7/la-scuola/rappresentanti-degli-studenti. 
  40. ↑ "Rappresentante di Istituto: quali sono i suoi compiti e le mansioni?" (in it). October 26, 2023. https://www.skuola.net/scuola/rappresentante-istituto-compiti-e-mansioni.html. 
  41. ↑ ScuolaZoo (2011-04-18). "Guida ai Rappresentanti di Istituto" (in it). https://www.scuolazoo.com/info-studenti/diritto-scolastico/guida-rappresentanti-di-istituto. 
  42. ↑ "Il Consiglio di Istituto nella Scuola: Normativa" (in it). https://www.universoscuola.it/consiglio-istituto-scuola-normativa.htm. 
  43. ↑ Filippo, Nobile (September 29, 2023). "La rappresentanza a scuola degli studenti" (in it). https://www.orizzontescuola.it/la-rappresentanza-a-scuola-degli-studenti-dove-la-troviamo-e-dove-non-la-troviamo/. 
  44. ↑ "Diventare rappresentante di istituto: cosa fa e compiti" (in it). October 10, 2022. https://www.controcampus.it/2022/10/diventare-rappresentante-di-istituto-come-fare-cosa-fa-compiti/. 
  45. ↑ "Viet Nam | School leadership | Education Profiles". https://education-profiles.org/eastern-and-south-eastern-asia/viet-nam/~school-leadership. 
  46. ↑ McInerney, Laura (2018-04-18). "Is it time to get rid of head girls and boys?" (in en-GB). The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. https://www.theguardian.com/education/shortcuts/2018/apr/18/is-it-time-to-get-rid-of-head-girls-and-boys. 
  47. ↑ Davidson High School P&C Association, Davidson High School – The First Twenty years (Sydney, 1992) ISBN 0-646-08149-7
  48. ↑ "Education in the UK: a history - Timeline". https://education-uk.org/history/timeline.html. 
  49. ↑ "Prefect Roles and Responsibilites[sic – Heath Park"] (in en). https://www.heathpark.net/student-leadership/prefect-roles-and-responsibilites/. 
  50. ↑ "Leadership | Groton School". https://www.groton.org/student-life/leadership. 
  51. ↑ "Peer Support Program". http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/Student_Leadership/Peer%20Support.html. 
  52. ↑ "Leadership Program". http://www.sghs.nsw.edu.au/Student_Leadership/Leadership%20Program.html. 
  53. ↑ "School Site Council". California Department of Education. https://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/co/ssc.asp. 
  54. ↑ "Site-based decision-making committees more important than ever" (in en). https://www.tcta.org/professional-resources/publications/survival-guide/site-based-decision-making-committees-more-important-than-ever. 
  55. ↑ "School-Based Decision Making - Kentucky Department of Education". https://www.education.ky.gov/districts/SBDM/Pages/default.aspx. 
  56. ↑ "Local School Councils (LSCs) | Chicago Public Schools" (in en). https://www.cps.edu/about/local-school-councils/. 
  57. ↑ Sachar, L. (1999) Marvin Redpost: Class President. Random House.
  58. ↑ Hurwitz, J. (1990) Class President. HarperCollins.
  59. ↑ Alger, George W. (1908-10-01). "Taft and Labor". McClure's Magazine: pp. 602. https://books.google.com/books?id=LI5EAQAAIAAJ&q=(1908)&pg=PA597. Retrieved 2018-06-12. 
  60. ↑ McCain Gill, L. (1997) African American Women in Congress: Forming and Transforming History. Rutgers University Press. p 97.
  61. ↑ Brady, Shannon (2023-08-01). "10 Strongest Anime Student Councils You Wouldn't Want To Mess With" (in en). https://screenrant.com/strongest-anime-student-councils-kill-utena/. 
  62. ↑ Natividad, Sid (2021-12-25). "8 Things Many Anime Exaggerate About Student Councils" (in en). https://gamerant.com/things-anime-exaggerate-about-student-councils/. 
  63. ↑ "Japanese School Life Makes You Feel Like You're In Anime" (in en). https://myanimelist.net/featured/1669/Japanese_School_Life_Makes_You_Feel_Like_Youre_In_Anime. 
  64. ↑ "Class Representative". https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ClassRepresentative. 



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