The 2025 Cate School Presidential Election

By: Serena Zhang ‘28 and Maria Salyards ‘28

With the Cate School 2025-2026 presidential election coming to an end, we’ve seen great potential in all the presidential candidates. Four pairs ran; Andrew Peng (P) and Elliott Paige (VP), Ian Sheshunoff (P) and Coco Kliman (VP), Lorelei Roof (P) and Aidan Free (VP), and Barron Clayton (P) and Jen Won (VP). Five questions were posed to each duo to highlight the distinctions among these known candidate pairs: What do you want Cate students to know about you? What are your goals as president/vice president? What initiatives would you take? What makes you qualified? What is one fun fact about you?

When asked, "What do you want Cate students to know about you?” Lorelei replied, “Junior year has gone by so fast that we want to make our senior year the most memorable by leaving an impact that we will be proud of. One of our biggest values is the inclusivity of the underrepresented groups on campus. For the past couple of years, Cate has had a male-identifying duo for president and vice president, making it harder for female-identifying students to be heard.” She points out that she understands the need to represent everyone as a leader. Similarly, Aidan shares his social struggles as a day student in a majority boarding school and his” fear of missing out during his underclassmen years.” Lorelei states, “Our plan as president and vice president is to connect the Cate community and instill a mindset of participation that will allow students to immerse themselves in the spirit of this place fully.” When asked about their goals as president and vice president, Lorelei and Aidan discussed their focus on inclusivity and involvement. Lorelei shares that “Cate students have a lot of pride and love for their school; however, more effort could be channeled into all school events, such as sports games. We hope to hold tailgates to bring students closer and rally before a big game. This would include grilling, drinks, lawn games, and blue and white face paint to show school spirit.” In terms of leadership qualities, the two candidates believe that the president and vice president should be “the utmost role models for other students, as well as a liaison between the greater student body and the faculty and board.” In addition, Lorelei and Aidan point out that they are both very involved in the Cate community already. She states, “As a female boarder and male day student, our combination of experiences at Cate has broadened our perspectives on what different groups of students value in leaders.” A fun fact about the candidates is that Lorelei has scuba-dived 150 feet in the ocean, and Aidan will buzz his hair if they win!

The next pair interviewed was Andrew and Elliott, who wanted the students to know that their leadership is about action, not just talking. As Andrew states, “Ideas only make an impact when student leaders have the grit and organizational skill to see them through, cutting through the red tape to get things done. We believe every student – whether international or domestic, outspoken or quiet – deserves a voice, and we aim to provide that. We believe in the power of the student body, but even the most talented tailor needs a sharp pair of shears. We are those shears designed to cut through the barriers and turn your vision into reality.” The two candidates also talked about their goal of making leadership inclusive. “We want YOUR ideas. While we are the razor-sharp blades, YOU are the one who wields us. That’s why we aim to create clear, direct channels for feedback, ensuring every student, especially those whose voices are often unheard, has the power to shape school decisions.”

On top of that, Andrew and Elliott promise to run with precision. Although they appreciate the current student leaders, they see potential for improvement to help make collaboration less of a challenge. “We will cut through all the fluff and the BS (Bureaucratic Shenanigans). We’ll slice through those barriers – nobody will do it like we do – no delays, no excuses, just decisive action that works, backed by real precedent,” Andrew said enthusiastically. When asked what makes them qualified, he answers, “The best tailor in the world deserves the sharpest pair of shears. I bring a keen organizational skill honed through experience running and expanding one of Cate’s most successful student-led clubs, Ewe-Speaks. My background includes roles as a DEI representative, ASU co-head, International Club head, and more.” Meanwhile, Elliott brings unmatched energy and dedication to every task. Speaking to their previous involvement in the community, Andrew mentions, “Together, we’ve served a collective 5 years in the Senate. Combining precision and passion, we make the two intersecting blades of the perfectly balanced shear.” As a fun fact, Andrew has traveled to more than 40 countries and read more than 400 books in his lifetime, and both candidates promise to get a buzz if they are victorious!

Ian and Coco’s main objective is to make your experience at Cate as enjoyable as possible. The pair reflects on their shared experiences when asked what they want Cate students to know about them. Ian shares, “There is nothing more rewarding than being part of a community that will always have your back and with leaders who will unconditionally support you, as Coco and I have discovered from our valiant tours with the JV soccer teams. Sometimes, it’s essential to hit nothing but strikes and not let the team down, but we believe that that culture can stay on the field. At Cate, we’re all part of one big team and want to be there to cheer on our teammates.” The two candidates highlight their focus on student wellbeing as a significant initiative. “Cate involves a lot of hard work. Long days are followed by hours of homework, which can be stressful. At times, both of us have struggled,” Ian states. “As president and VP, we can’t offer less homework or fewer classes, but we can make sure that the time spent outside of the academic day is as fulfilling as possible.” Coco explains, “Tending to your wellbeing can present itself in many different ways, from more opportunities to spend time with friends off campus to an actual field day, or collaborating with the counseling office to create a series of fun, de-stressing events and activities before or during finals week, like a petting zoo or cupcake decorating.” However, the candidates also emphasize the importance of voluntary participation in community events, explaining, “It is essential for the community that people show up to activities, our events, and sports games, but we don’t think that forcing students to attend will do much to make us happier. Instead, we want to work on fostering a culture of participation by choice.” In regards to their qualification, Ian remarks, “While being president means acting as a cheerleader for the student body, there is so much more than that. It’s often hard to see behind the scenes, but the president spends large amounts of time coordinating, meeting with the head of school, and planning future events.” He also shares their past leadership experience. “We have learned what it takes to step up and lead through our experiences. Coco is a varsity volleyball team captain, I am head of technical theater, and we have a combined seven terms in Senate and are the heads of 3 clubs.”

Above all, the pair points to their complementary strengths. “We share a sense of humor and a common vision for what the school can look like next year, but we have the benefit of different skill sets, which we believe will complement each other so that we can make the most of our opportunity, and you can make the most of next year.” The candidates share some fun personal details about themselves. “While there is much we share with the rest of the Cate community, we both have unique middle names. My middle name is, for better or worse, Shenanigan (yes, you read that right), and Coco is Coco’s middle name, a title she switched to from Hayley (her first name) after being on a soccer team in third grade with a Bailey, a Kaylee, AND a Kiley. Coco happened to stick, and she’s gone by her middle name ever since. As tempting as it sounds, I’ll stick with ‘Ian’ for now.”

Last, but not least, we have Barron and Jen, whose campaign, “Wayton”, focused on connecting all the grades. As they stated in the presidential debate, a main initiative they aim to take on as leaders is to break the divide between different classes and further become a close-knit community regardless of age and grade. On top of that, the passionate football player Barron and record-breaking swimmer Jen aim to bring spirit to our campus, whether through games or simply daily life here at Cate. 

So, as these junior candidate pairs entered the election process, one pair emerged victorious in one of the closest elections in Cate’s history. Drumroll please… the President and Vice President of the 2025-2026 school year are Barron and Jen! Each pair brought something fresh, unique, and valuable to our community and stage. Every vote was a worthy one. Your vote matters regardless of the situation, and remember that it will always contribute to this place we all call home.

*Editor’s Note: Due to the rapid timeline of the presidential election and the constraints of our publication schedule, we were unable to conduct full interviews with Jen and Barron in time for this issue. As a result, a complete profile of their campaign and vision is not included here. However, our final issue of the year will feature an in-depth look at both candidates, their platforms, and their plans moving forward.*

Barron Crayton '26

Jenevive Won '26