Behind the title of Associated Student Body (ASB) lies eight students, one administrator, and one mission: to make the most of the year. ASB works behind the scenes for every sports game, school event, and assembly. This year, ASB has put in hard work to make the 2025-26 school year one to remember.
As graduation approaches, ASB’s five seniors, President Mailey Wang, Treasurer Braxton Kimura, Spirit Caitlyn Kramer, Panther Relations Dhruv Gupta, and Publicity Riya Kolappa, reflect on their special time on the committee.
For Kimura, being a member came with limitless potential for community, leadership, and change.
“I joined ASB because I wanted to help make the school more spirited and bring people together through events and traditions that create a stronger sense of community,” Kimura said.
Kramer wanted to be on ASB so that she could give back to the Pinewood community.
“Being able to help out the community that has welcomed me and cared for me since I’ve been here was the reason I wanted to run in the first place,” Kramer said.
Wang said that serving on ASB has been a dream come true for her.
“Being ASB president has always been my dream since I was in fourth grade when I first ran for student council,” Wang said. “I’m so lucky to have a support system behind me that gave me the confidence to take on this leadership role.”
ASB has taught Kolappa the importance of diversity when creating a team.
“Working with a team where we are all so different is what makes it work,” Kolappa said. “I now know how important it is to showcase a variety of voices and interests because we really utilize everyone’s strengths to the max.”
To Jenn Bates, who has served as ASB’s administrator for two years, this group of ASB seniors has been truly special.
“This year’s ASB seniors have been phenomenal,” Bates said. “They’ve demonstrated exceptional leadership to the point where I can step back and watch as they confidently plan and run student council events. Their strong bond and ability to work together set them apart. I couldn’t have asked for a better group, and they will be deeply missed.”
Gupta said that the connections he’s been able to build through leadership events have made ASB unforgettable.
“My favorite part of ASB has been bonding with all the people we work with, from our student council leadership team themselves to Mrs. Bates and the administration who we work so closely with to make assemblies and events happen,” Gupta said.
Wang advises future senior ASB members to make the most of their time on ASB.
“You only have one senior year, and you are so lucky to be in a position of power where you can control how that senior year goes and how much spirit people have,” Wang said. “So take advantage of that to make your senior the best year, not only for yourself, but also for the whole Pinewood Upper Campus.”
