It’s election season at Woodstock, and excitement is rising across campus. Posters are popping up in every hallway, candidates are making their voices heard in the check-ins, and students are paying close attention as candidates step forward with bold ideas and fresh visions for the future of the school.

This year, three determined and passionate students, Kargyen Wangchuck, Shayan Basnyat, and Priyanshi Poddar, are in the running to become your next Student Presidents. Each one brings a unique background, a fresh perspective, and a set of values rooted in what they believe Woodstock should become. Whether it’s building stronger communities, restoring efficiency, or leading with heart, they all share one thing: a genuine desire to make a difference.

Kargyen: Where Compassion Meets Leadership

For Kargyen, leadership means showing up with empathy, welcoming everyone in, and creating space for meaningful bonds. She’s running, having seen the subtle divides at Woodstock, the tension between grades, the quiet stress students carry, and the disconnect between leadership and the wider student body.

“I’ve felt those moments where school doesn’t feel like home, and I’ve heard others say the same. I want to change that. Not in a dramatic way, but in the kind that actually sticks.”

Her leadership style has grown from personal experience. She once struggled to speak up in class, but through participating in school life, she’s built confidence and now wants to help others feel empowered too.

“Leadership shouldn’t just be about having an ego, it should be about teamwork”

Kargyen feels her main qualities are:

  • Approachable and a strong listener
  • Leads with empathy and emotional awareness
  • Highly organised and dependable

Goals:

  • Reduce Inter-grade disparities: Encourage more conversations and activities with people from different grades.
  • Mixed Advisories: Encourage inter-grade bonding and connection
  • Mini Sports Games: Low-pressure fun during Flex periods
  • Mystery Mayhem: A Creative way to connect students beyond friend groups
  • Council Clarity: Improve internal StuCo communication and task delegation
  • Transparency: Use the bulletin board to clearly explain decisions and plans.

Kargyen believes in honest, consistent communication. Transparency isn’t optional; it builds trust. She wants every student to understand what StuCo is doing and why.

“If people don’t know why decisions are being made or how things are being run, it creates confusion, rumours, and disconnect.”

In situations involving bias or unfairness, she would start by listening, genuinely. Then, she’d work toward a clearer rubric for success, broader student input, and reviewing systems to ensure fairness for all.

Outside of school, Kargyen runs an arts and craft business, Kace, bringing real-world leadership to her role as a student.

Her views on Other Candidates

  • Shayan: “I admire his dedication and determination in achieving his goals.”
  • Priyanshi: “I admire her super driven and academic personality.”

Kargyen’s campaign is all about belonging, honest leadership, and building a more united Woodstock, one meaningful step at a time.

Priyanshi: Where Vision Meets Experience and Empathy

Priyanshi’s leadership at Woodstock is backed by years of experience, meaningful action, and deep community ties. With over seven years at the school, she’s not just familiar with how things work, she’s helped shape them. Through initiatives like Flavours of Woodstock and Realistic Resolutions, she has led with purpose.

“Leadership isn’t just about speaking for people—it’s about listening to them.”

Her leadership experience includes serving as Alter-ridge Dorm President and CAC Representative since Grade 8. She’s developed close connections with students, faculty, and even alumni, giving her access to the conversations and decisions that matter. This network, she says, gives her the tools to start making an impact from day one.

Priyanshi feels her main qualities are:

  • Drive: Keeps projects going even without a title, because results matter
  • Approachability: Leads through listening and collaboration
  • Experience: Seven years at Woodstock, with consistent leadership roles

Goals 

  • Culture Swap Day to celebrate student diversity
  • Lunchtime Uplift with music, DIY stations, and pop-ups
  • Recognition for All, spotlighting all student contributions
  • StuCo Visibility through regular updates and shared meeting notes
  • Streamlined Volunteering to boost inclusivity in events
  • Council Coordination to ensure all 19 members contribute actively

Priyanshi emphasises that leadership is not about control, but about connection. She believes consistent communication and clear progress are extremely important to restoring trust between students and their representatives.

She also believes that transparency isn’t just helpful, it’s necessary. To her, fairness in leadership selections means clearer success criteria, more student input, and open communication about decisions.

“Transparency is essential in student leadership, and it’s important that the student body understands what’s happening and why.”

Her view on Other Candidates

Shayan: “I respect your work ethic and how dedicated you are to everything you do. I’ve worked with you before as dorm president, and I know we’d make a strong and efficient team if elected.”
Kargyen: “I appreciate your creativity and the way you approach things with a fresh perspective.”

Priyanshi’s campaign is all about making leadership visible, inclusive, and deeply connected to the people it serves.

Shayan: Leading with Strategy, Accountability, and Structure

Shayan brings a clear, no-frills vision to this year’s presidential race. His focus isn’t just on what StuCo does, it’s on how it functions. For him, leadership is about building systems that are efficient, transparent, and accountable. He wants to see StuCo evolve from being seen as just an event-planning team into a student-led governing body that reflects the voice, needs, and ideas of the entire student body.

“When agendas like the Swish-a-thon donations are left incomplete, it weakens the credibility of StuCo. I want to bring back its integrity, purpose, and impact.”

Shayan believes that trust is built through transparency and that student leaders have a responsibility to maintain open communication with those they represent. For him, transparency is not just a principle, it’s a sign of respect. He envisions a StuCo where decisions are clearly explained, students are kept in the loop, and everyone knows how and why things happen.

Shayan feels his main qualities are:

  • Good time management
  • Strong work ethic and follow-through
  • Prior leadership experience, such as being class governor for 5 semesters

Goals 

  • Define Clear Roles: Ensure every StuCo member has a specific responsibility and delivers on it
  • Monthly Communication: Use bulletin boards and class meetings to provide consistent updates
  • Consistent Follow-Up: Address student concerns and report back with progress
  • Transparent Decision-Making: Open up more opportunities for student input on council actions

Shayan wants to strengthen not only the output of StuCo but also its internal efficiency. He believes that restoring trust in leadership starts with follow-through and clarity at every level.

His views on Other Candidates

  • Kargyen: “She’s an excellent listener and contributes creatively to how StuCo can function, especially when it comes to ensuring transparency and inclusivity.”
  • Priyanshi: “She has great work ethic and knows how to effectively follow through with agendas.”

Shayan’s campaign is built for those who want to see a student council that works smart, stays accountable, and leads with purpose. He’s not here to promise flashy events, but to rebuild the structure that allows great ideas to succeed.

As the election is near, remember that your voice matters. Each candidate offers something meaningful for Woodstock’s future. This is your chance to shape the school you want to be a part of, so take a moment, reflect on what matters most to you, and make sure to vote. Your choice can help lead Woodstock toward a stronger, more connected tomorrow.

Writen by Trishana Panchagatti, Co-Editor of The Woodstocker

Edited by Narayani Sharma, Co-Editor of The Woodstocker