Tommy Gordon is the Winchester Thurston Student Council Vice President. He’s attended WT since kindergarten and served in student council since 7th grade. He participates or is a leader in Student Ambassadors, Boys Soccer, Squash Boys Tennis, the Latinx Student Union, Sigma Magazine, Science Olympiad, Investment Club,  and Mock Trial. Voices sat down with him to talk about student council.

What motivates you to serve your fellow students as the Vice President? 

 WT is our community, and we are all very fortunate to be a part of it. I have been here since kindergarten. It is not an overstatement to say that WT feels like a second home. 

We all want our community to be the best it can be: supportive, diverse, strong, and full of opportunities. This is what has motivated me to join Student Council, since middle school, always trying to achieve this goal. I have seen it every year—all of us at Student Council working hard to try and make each year the best it can possibly be for the student body and the school as a whole. It is a never-ending goal. 

What has been your proudest accomplishment as a student councilperson? 

 My proudest accomplishment has been being part of a Student Council that had the challenge of working through a pandemic and helped make the student body continue to feel the WT sense of community. You may remember in 2020 when we were in 9th grade, and the Student Council organized the 24-hour “thon” during quarantine. We were having a hard time with e-learning, missing the interaction that is crucial to our community.  So many people joined the thon, and at one point, there were more than 100 people on the same screen. That’s what Student Council can do. That was a proud moment. 

If you could get one thing passed for the rest of the year, what would that be? 

I would like for all students to feel they are heard and that we want to represent their voices. I would really like to set in place some sort of process to allow people who aren’t representatives to have a direct say in the council. That might be a google form or a doc or a sign-up sheet. But generally, I would want a really easy way for people to participate. In the end, the more we hear the different opinions and points of view, the more we strengthen our community. 

At its best, what can Student Council be? 

 Oh, I like that question. At its best, Student Council is a transparent organization that listens to the students, works with and for them, and helps to build a stronger WT community.  We want to continue to organize activities that students enjoy and also programs that make a difference within WT and the community around.  

How would you describe your leadership style? 

You recently wrote an opinion in Winchester Thurston Voices called “FFL Spring Predictions.” You were talking about our WT football league, and you named me the “Sleeper Pick,” not sure I liked that!  But you also said “Tommy does not drop a ball” and “whether the league recognizes or not how much he will contribute to the team he’ll deliver all the same.”  I appreciated those words very much and I think you are correct.  I will listen, work hard to make things happen, and will lead by example making sure we all succeed as a team.    

And I appreciate that you read my article. What does it mean to you to have a little sister who will attend the high school you leave her?  

It’s definitely significant. I will graduate when Clara enters the Upper School. I know I will not be there to see her every day, but as a member of the Student Council and all of us, as members of the WT community, we all have the responsibility to make the student experience the best it can be and set a standard for how much good we can do. The precedent we set and the example we put forth now is what the sophomores and freshmen see. I want the underclassmen and my sister and eventually, your brother, Jamie, to attend a Winchester Thurston that empowers its students and is constantly looking to improve the student experience. This school has been my second home for twelve years, and we have to upkeep it. That process continues every day. 

Any announcements you’d like to make while you have the spotlight? Any news about you or the future of Student Council? 

Yes! Get involved! This is your home. We all make WT, together. We are all part of this community, so get involved! 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.