Martin Luther King Jr. once proposed the idea that every human being has something called the Drum Major Instinct. King described people who have this instinct to have “a desire to be out front” and “a desire to lead the parade.” 

“How is it that you will use this instinct for change?” asked SGA moderator Luis De Prada. “How is it that you, as a member of the SGA, will make use of this instinct?”

On Wednesday, September 28, ILS hosted its yearly SGA Lock-In, an annual event led by and for the Student Government Association. This year’s lock-in consisted of two hours and 45 minutes of pure productivity as student leaders brainstormed and expanded on present and future ideas. 

“I think the Lock-In went well,” said sophomore secretary, Ines Unda. “We were able to cover most of the things we wanted to talk about.”

Considering the abundance of virtual events from the last school year, SGA has been hard at work to rework events from previous years to start this semester with a kick. This time of year is considered the busiest for the SGA, considering their non-stop planning for Homecoming Week. From fundraisers, to skits, to class events, there has not been a single F Block where SGA isn’t brainstorming how to make Homecoming Week a blast.

The Lock-In, introduced by SGA moderator Mrs. Celina Sosa, was basic rundown of everything that the student leaders would have to discuss during the period.

“It’s a five-page agenda here today,” said Mrs. Sosa.

Despite having so much to go through, she maintained a proud smile on her face. 

The first half of the meeting consisted of talks on leadership. SGA boards wrote down qualities they believed a leader should possess. Among those qualities were compassion, integrity, collaboration, passion, and patience.

“A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit,” quoted Mrs. Sosa, from Arnold H. Glasgow.

The second half of the meeting was all about Homecoming. Each board split up into groups with their designated moderators and began finalizing decisions about the various events that have been planned out over the course of the last few weeks. Despite the chatter filling the room, each board member was hyper-focused on what he or she knew had to be worked on.

As the clock struck 4 PM, the SGA was dismissed to start heading back home. However, even post-Lock-in, the SGA kept up with their discussion online via Zoom or Whatsapp. 

The Student Government Association has worked nonstop to assure this year will be an extraordinary one. They have a variety of events planned, so keep an eye out for more information via your school email or The Royal Courier.