Becoming the Southeast District president for the first time sure did "meme a lot" to the Poplar Bluff High School student council.
Carrying the campaign theme "Vote for Poplar Bluff, it would meme a lot," featuring internet memes, pushed the club to victory earlier this month at the district convention held at Perryville High School.
"Our council has seen a lot of growth this year in the members we have and also outside members coming in, so it just seemed natural to shoot for the stars," Student Council President Eva Bedell said.
To take the helm of the Southeast District, 40 Poplar Bluff student council members arrived at Perryville High School early in the day to greet all 50 other student councils from across the district, chanted and yelled, passed out candy and displayed posters to encourage fellow student council members to vote for Poplar Bluff.
The group also prepared a video proclaiming why they were the right choice to lead the district while donning meme outfits.
"The memes resonated well with the kids because that is the stuff they are watching and seeing," Student Council Advisor Mitch Davis said.
As district president, Poplar Bluff High School will host the annual Southeast District Convention next year.
That will include selecting a motivational speaker, organizing small leadership group workshops and designing the district T-shirt.
"It's a motivating and encouraging event with a speaker, chants and fun things to do," Bedell said. "It brings the fun into leadership."
About 1,000 students from 21 counties and 50 school districts will be in Poplar Bluff," Davis said. "Geographically, the Southeast District is the biggest district in the Missouri Association of Student Councils."
The strong presence of students taking part in student council has led to the club being "bigger and better."
"It's not necessarily we have added more events," Student Council Vice President Geneva Taylor said. "But the events have been smoother. More people are working and willing to work. I think the events have been bigger and better and that's what sets it apart."
Membership numbers have nearly tripled for the Poplar Bluff Student Council.
According to Davis, it was not uncommon to have 20 members attending meetings at this point in the school year.
"We are having 70 plus members at meetings at this point in the school year, which is huge," he said. "I credit that to the officer's leadership, good job at retaining members and making this something people want to be a part of."
Fundraising is up 300 percent this year as well, Davis said. The aggressive fundraising comes from the club wanting to give student leaders more opportunities to develop themselves.
"I have never worked less hard as I have this year with student council because they run it and that's the way it's suppose to be," Davis said emphasizing the student portion of the club's name.
Now that the club has checked district president off its bucket list, the next logical step is run for state president in March.
"It's a bigger job, but I think we can do it," Bedell said. "We were able to win district and saw what we are capable of."
If Poplar Bluff student council wins state presidency, it will be the first time in 18 years a Southeast Missouri school will hold the office.
"We are ready for rural Missouri to get some love," Davis said.
With a win, the school will host and plan next year's state convention that features 2 1/2 days of programs, food and possibly a community service project featuring 1,000 students from across the state.
"We as a team feel cohesive enough and strong enough to be able to pull this off," Davis said. "The ease at which we get something done is dramatically different than years past. It's a good team."
Davis went on to praise the group of student council officers from the last couple of years for taking the club to the next level.
"They took the job more seriously than just planning events," he said. "They looked at it as an opportunity to get a tone for how to do business at school in a positive way. It's exciting because we are seeing how these students are developing leadership qualities and skills that are going to help as college students and adults."
While it's Davis' job to serve as the student's leadership teacher, he said he learns just as much from the students as they learn from him.
"Maybe I learn more from them," he said.
Not only does student council help serve as a positive influence in the school, but out in the community as well.
"I think it's good for our council representatives to learn to do that and us to be able to show other kids in school that it's not hard to make a positive impact, too and it's a lot of fun," Taylor said.
In addition to maintaining community service hours, student council members assist with parking at football games, brief the school board each month about current events, participated at the Mayor's Prayer Breakfast and more.
"One of the biggest compliments for them is I have overheard kids talking 'STUCO has gotten more serious,' and that's not bad," Davis said. "People know we have got to a whole new level because of members and the leadership team."