As students close their Chromebooks and the final bell rings in the next three months of freedom, the groundwork is already being put in plan for the upcoming school year. While most are shifting their focus on summer vacation, the newly elected 2026-2027 Student Senate administration is preparing for what lies ahead.
Tyler Robertson and Jack Snowday, both rising seniors, will be leading the school as governor and lieutenant governor. Robertson’s decision to run for governor runs in the family.
“My older brother, Ian, was governor, and I know he had a lot of fun, and then, when I joined the Senate.” Robertson said.
Having good friends and his brother in student government have pushed him to go far, he drew inspiration from his brother’s qualities as governor.
“[My brother]’s a really good leader. He’s super decisive. And he’s very vocal about how he feels and what his opinions are,“ Robertson said.
In the upcoming school year, head principal Brian Guiney and Advisor James Wagner are both planning to focus on giving back to the community.
“The one thing that I would say that we are definitely going to focus more on is, [Public Relations for] any of our events, and how we get communication out to the student body, to create more awareness for what is happening within our school week to week.” Robertson said.
Team work makes the dreams work, and this duo is ready to accomplish their senior year.
“I think that, because we’re great friends, I think that we can work together in unison, come up with the ideas, and, like, share them with each other, not be scared to talk to each other,” Snowday said
The administration’s adult leadership shares high expectations for the pair. Advisor James Wagner has observed substantial growth in the incoming governor.
“He’s become more of a leader. He’s been more confident in himself. He’s definitely been able to stand up in front of a class and take ownership of the room,” Wagner said.
Robertson plans on not just helping the local Traverse City community he plans on shifting the school community as well.
“A lot of our focus every year is football games or basketball games, or some of the main sports, but we haven’t really focused on the arts or theater musicals. So I think we’re gonna, we’re gonna try and do that a little bit more and get a little bit better of a school spirit” Robertson said.
Beyond balancing sports and the arts and the shift into student connections, the incoming leadership team looks to sustain the energetic traditions of West, such as the “bleacher creatures,” while making a more inclusive environment for incoming students.
“I feel like my overall goal would just be to get everybody to care about each other a little bit more. to get everybody to think about how other people are feeling, and kind of support everybody a little bit more,” Robertson said.
