SAC is back: Meet the new prefects
September 16, 2022
From planning activities like Name That Tune and therapy dogs to being the liaisons between the administration and students, the seven SAC Prefects run the ins and outs of student life.
As Head Prefect, Claire Schwanauer helps with communication, enforcing the Honor Code and offering help to any student. When asked about her spirit animal, she said, “Probably a chipmunk because I’m a busy person and always scurrying around campus.”
Before becoming Head Prefect, Schwanauer served as a semester rep and vice president. Her goal: ensure students have fun and meaningful experiences.
“I want people to feel comfortable with meeting others,” Schwanauer said. “I’ve had such a good experience at St. John’s, and I want everyone to feel the same.”
Outside of SAC, she does choir and orchestra. Going by Dory’s life slogan, “Just keep swimming,” her best piece of advice is to “let it roll off your shoulders.” She also loves Greek cuisine, listening to “Hot Flash Heatwave” and watching the movie “La La Land.”
Schwanauer spends much of her time outside of school playing field hockey. Most prefects play sports, with Cameron Ederle and Sebastian Grannen even being team captains.
“I’m going to be captain for the first time this year—[wrestling] is definitely the thing I’ve spent the most time doing,” Grannen said.
Aside from playing baseball, Prefect Jonah Goodwine also studies the physics of the sport.
“I get into the analytical side of the game because MLB is one of the most analytically developed leagues,” Goodwine said.
Not only a baseball aficionado, Goodwine is also “a big tech person”; he is a proud video game enthusiast and takes an AI course at SJS. But at the top of his bucket list is living in places across Canada and the US before settling down.
Prefect Jay Love’s life goal is a bit more ambitious: to hold elected office. As a leader of the Student Political Education Club and the Young Liberals Organization, he describes himself as “intellectual, jovial and political.” He also represents the School through quiz bowl and will perform in the upcoming fall play, “Clue.”
Even though this is just his first year on SAC, Love also hopes to leave a large impact on the School through long-term projects.
“I’d like to see SAC have a bigger role than it has had in the past,” Love said. “I got elected on doing a few big things, namely uniform reform, more sustainability efforts and a few mental health projects.”
Prefect Jalen Bradley hopes to be a role model for younger African-American students. Bradley is a president of AAAG and founded a program called Bridging the Gap, which connects Black Upper School students with Black Middle School students.
“I came here as a freshman, and when I saw Black guys and girls as Prefects and leaders, I thought that if they could do it, then I could too,” Bradley said.
Bradley has an affinity for languages, taking both Chinese II and Spanish Literature and Culture. He also loves watching Marvel and action movies in his free time, his favorite being “Tenet.”
Through SAC, Ederle was able to open up to different people at the school he otherwise wouldn’t have met. Today, he enjoys running, journalism, and meeting new people.
“I’d say that SAC is a breath of fresh air for the school,” Ederle said.
Prefect Cinco Grobmyer began his SAC journey when he joined the Middle School Student Council and ran every year after that, working his way up to Prefect. This year, he is specifically working on the House program—planning more games, making House Points more popular and increasing overall student engagement. Outside of SAC, he likes to wrestle.
“I like being part of a program that increases student livelihood,” Grobmyer said.
Grannen is also working on student livelihood by facilitating SAC’s food and drinks ideas, like SAC hot chocolate during the winter.
“I want to make [school] more fun. That’s ultimately the end goal,” Grannen said. “Have fun—it’s corny, but that’s got to be it.”
