Junior Max Donahue, sophomores Ryan Strobel and Jessica Yin, and freshman Nellie Zhang were officially announced as the four new members of the Student Advisory Committee (SAC), a group of students who meet with the school board monthly to discuss school-wide issues.

SAC members are responsible for being the voice of the students of Algonquin, as their consultations with the Board of Education and superintendent are the catalysts for important changes that need to be made within the school.

“There are things that are institutional that come up in the course of time…things that might transcend just through the building’s principle, and there are times when the School Committee might want student input on that,” John Barry said.

Affairs that have been deliberated between the SAC members and the school board in the past include whether or not to revise the bell schedule, and the circumstances surrounding student exemption from final exams.

The winners of the election share the desire to represent the student body and make their fellow students’ opinions heard.

“I was in Student Council last year, but I’m not this year,” Yin said. “So I still really wanted to participate in school government somehow, and SAC seemed like a great way to do it.”

Yin would like to be involved in student government so she can address issues and implement changes that matter to her.

“I definitely have a voice for the freshmen and not just the upperclassmen,” Zhang, the only freshman class member of SAC, said. “You don’t really make an influence on the community as much [in Steering Committee].”

Being a part of the SAC allows members in aiding the school to adapt with current issues as deemed necessary versus having a position such as President or Vice President in Steering Committee.

“I hope to learn from my experiences with the school board, to learn how an official government set-up works in the town,” Donahue said. “I want to try to learn for myself for the future, if I would like to be in a government position.”

Strobel, meanwhile, sees this as an opportunity to build on his communication skills both in the present and for down the road.

“Gaining experience in speaking in front of a large group of people will be beneficial for what I want to do later in life,” Strobel said.

The new SAC members will begin their duties at the first School Committee meeting, scheduled for October 21.