Jonah Greenfeld ’27, Jasiri Johnson ’27, Keisari Penman ’27 and Ben Sandman ’27 were elected as Senior Prefects on April 15.
Simren Bindra ’27 was chosen as Head Prefect for the 2026-2027 school year, and said she is excited to work with the new senior prefect group and happy that everything is finalized.
“There are such amazing things ahead, and I’m really looking forward to what we’ll accomplish together,” Bindra said. “I already know many of the incoming prefects, and they’re all kind, thoughtful people, which makes me even more confident about next year.”
Penman said she ran for Prefect because she cares about the school community and is grateful for all the support she has received.
“Everyone was so kind to me and my family when I first came in ninth grade,” Penman said. “When I found out about upper school Prefects, I knew that [being on the] Prefect Council could be a way to give back to the community that was so welcoming to me.”
Greenfeld said he spent a lot of time rehearsing for his speech and is glad that his hard work paid off.
“Running for prefect is vulnerable because you’re putting yourself in a situation where you will end up either happy or feeling rejected,” Greenfeld said. “I knew I did the best I could, and so winning this year felt very validating. I felt like my peers could see that I have character they can trust to represent them.”
Penman said she is looking forward to her senior year and the impact she can make in her new leadership role.
“I am really excited and so thankful that my classmates put their faith in me to make our senior year something to remember,” Penman said. “After running in the election in past years, I think it taught me a lesson about not giving up. I want my classmates to feel like they have a space where people will listen and take an active approach to getting things done efficiently.”
Greenfeld said he wants to deliver on people’s trust and embrace his role as a leader.
“We all have individualities, but we still have common interests, and I want to communicate that interest to the administration,” Greenfeld said. “I hope to deliver on the promises I’ve made by instituting tangible changes and advocating for everyone.”
Bindra said she has high aspirations and hopes the Prefect Council will work together to make their senior year as meaningful and enjoyable as possible.
“Our class feels like a family since we’ve grown up alongside each other, so it’s important that we celebrate that, have fun and create lasting memories,” Bindra said. “At the same time, I want us to lead by example by being supportive, approachable and positive role models for underclassmen. My goal is to balance joy and responsibility so we can truly enjoy being seniors while also giving back to the school community.”
Elliot Murphy ’27 said she looks for candidates who can effectively advocate for all students.
“When I’m listening to the speeches I’m looking for what they do to help the overall student body and be a voice for us,” Murphy said. “They are only one person, so they have to be able to speak for everyone on a lot of different topics.”
Murphy said speeches that break from the norm tend to leave a stronger impression on her.
“Ben Sandman’s speech stuck with me because it was very different, and his approach was to target the audience’s reaction,” Murphy said. “Most people already go into these elections knowing who they are going to vote for, so if you are a new Prefect you’re going against people who are more established. Therefore, the newer, unexpected ones are more memorable for me.”
Nina Sawyer ’27 said she looks for a Prefect that is active on campus and who is really warm and welcoming.
“They should embody the spirit and message of the school and show up everyday to the best of their ability,” Sawyer said. “I think this panel does a really good job of representing the diversity and uniqueness of each and every person on this campus, and I’m sure they will do a great job.”
Murphy said she saw recurring policy ideas among the Prefect speeches.
“I heard a lot about equal grading, senior benefits and off-campus privileges,” Murphy said. “I think this is very helpful for students and something I definitely want to see.”
Sawyer said she is looking forward to next year and seeing how the new group of Prefects will shape student life.
“I’m interested in seeing more senior benefits and advocacy of the student body in general,” Sawyer said. “I’m excited to see what the Prefects change next year, what stays the same, and what some of our senior traditions will look like.”
