A graduate of Dowling Catholic high school, Zach Harnden has officially been named the first-year class president.

During his time at Dowling Catholic, Harnden played football, did debate team, was on the student council and participated in faith-based groups as well.

With his experience and enjoyment of student government, he was motivated to run for the position he now currently resides in.

“I was class president in high school and I had a lot of fun,” he said. “I thought it was a good way to stay involved in school but also affect change politically in the way that you can as a student.”

Meeting people and building connections with everyone around him are other large reasons he said he ran for office.

First-year Lane Sundberg knows Harnden from back in high school when his school played district basketball against Harnden’s, and he participates in Catholic Student Organization (CSO) with him here on campus as well.

“He’s a very spiritual guy, so I know he’s got the right mind of thinking. I think he can do a lot of stuff for us,” Sundberg said.

Just last week, Harnden got to experience his first Student Government Association (SGA) meeting.

“It [the meeting] was pretty cool just to see what the school is doing. Stuff you might not necessarily hear about. And that there are a lot of ways that I, as a student, can help other students’ everyday experience,” he said.

Harnden is ready to work for his class and wants them all to have a great year.

“I’m looking to do whatever I can to help my class one: get comfortable here, and two: make this place feel like home and for them to have a good experience.”

He will be joining Senior Class President Marissa Salber, Junior Class President Treye Teske and Sophomore Class President Aleah Casebeer in representing their respective classes in SGA.

Harnden will also be joining Jenna Woodward, Makayla Paulsen, Sydni Powell, and Claire Schneider in representing the first-year class this year.