While many high school seniors take on leadership roles simply to improve their college applications, senior Evi Burtt stands out as a student who thrives in these positions. Burtt is president of Model UN and Key Club. She has been president for Key Club her junior and senior years, but this is her first year as president for Model UN. Burtt strives by preparing peers for Model UN and organizing volunteer work in Key Club. Burtt keeps her Model UN club motivated by engaging topics for debate.
“I looked up to club leaders when I was an underclassmen and was encouraged by them to join leadership. I also loved being involved in the clubs and wanted to make a difference. My favorite part of running Model UN is getting creative with the debate or resolution topics that we work on; we’ve done a few historical topics and I love learning more about those. For Key Club, it’s definitely been meeting more people and working with my fellow leadership members,” Burtt said.
Burtt’s advisor, Genevieve Minor, describes her as dependable and always up to overcome a challenge. Burtt continues to show the skills that lead her to keep the team organized. Her efforts and accomplishments prove how hard she strives to succeed in her future. Burtt always makes sure that she educates new members of the team and helps returning members to improve their skills.
“There are aspects of team practices that I wanted to change. Evi wasn’t so sure at first because it was different from what previous leaders in the club did. She gave it a try. Practices became more interactive and fun. Attendance increased and our team took its first team award under her leadership at the Oakland University conference as a result. Making sure everyone grows and gets closer to their personal goal is a priority,” Minor said.
Burtt’s friend, Lizzie Vollbrecht, has known Burtt since 7th grade, describes Burtt as hardworking and an amazing leader. Vollbrecht values Burtt’s strong work ethic and leadership.
“I have been friends with Evi since 7th grade, and we met at cross country practice! We have done cross country together every year since then, and now we are in multiple clubs and extracurricular activities together! We are currently part of the Key Club leadership team. She is the president and I am the vice president, so we work very closely to plan meetings, organize events, and make volunteering fun! I love working with Evi because she is very hardworking and is an amazing leader,” Vollbrecht said.
As high school comes to an end for Burtt, she plans to attend college and continue volunteering throughout college.
“I’m still choosing between Northwestern University and Cornell right now, possibly UMich. I plan to major in biology or neuroscience,” Burtt said.
![“[She is First will] do the craft show which is in the fall at West it’s run in like the commons and some of the class wings and we usually just make stuff or we sell baked goods so it’s kind of like a combination of ornaments for Christmas and then just different like knickknacks and stuff that students make and then like cookies,” Polk said.](https://wshoccidentalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/New-club-leaders-she-is-the-first--1200x900.jpg)
