As the Central Kitsap High School Associated Study Body transitions terms from the 2021-2022 school year to the 2022-2023 year, incoming ASB officials find their new position or return to their former positions on the student body board.

One of these incoming ASB officials is soon-to-be CKHS junior Ferrah Capas, returning as Class of 2024 president for the third year in a row after being elected to the position in her freshman year, reelected sophomore year, and achieving the role once more in the recent CKHS ASB election for her upcoming junior year.

Capas found ASB intriguing as a high school student not only for the high status position being reflected on college applications, but also for the school involvement and leadership opportunities.

These leadership opportunities often include heading class ASB meetings as a class president and participating in the planning and facilitation of school events. Though Capas often finds the process “pretty stressful” to execute especially with the amount of high school students attending, Capas enjoys the preparation of major dances or celebrations, ranging from the CK Tailgate to Homecoming to senior graduation.

Capas sees herself as a committed ASB leader, but credits the rest of the ASB – both class and executive boards – with the overall creation of a successful board: “I like to think I’m pretty good at leading the group, but it’s honestly just…everyone in the ASB is good. It’s not just me being a good leader – we’re a good group of people for the team effort,” she emphasized.

Capas finds other modes of leadership and community through participation in several other CKHS clubs around the school, including Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Club, Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), Math Club, Knowledge Bowl, Honors’ Society and Building Female Leaders Northwest.

Alongside her joy of participating in ASB, class of 2024’s vice president Ary Eagan described her overall demeanor as “motivated and passionate,” which only furthers the success and motivation of the class ASB as a whole.

“There are many characteristics of Ferrah that are prevalent in not only her president role but her as a person as well,” Eagan elaborated. “I think we work very well together and I’m excited to be a team next year.”

CKHS teacher, Activities Coordinator and ASB adviser Daniel Sullivan also highlighted Capas’s leadership qualities as a driving force behind her success in ASB.

“She puts the needs of others before herself, and she’s always really quick to volunteer for projects,” he detailed. “I would say that one thing that I think is really effective that Ferrah does a great job of is not taking themselves too seriously. [She’s] humble while still being confident and expresses herself in a way that is conducive to gaining respect from her peers. She also conducts herself in a way that is easy to communicate with.”

Senior class president Meghan Landon agreed that Capas’ leadership is successful through her “big impact as a really good leader…[she pushes] ASB members to want to be more included.” Through this strong and inclusive leadership, Capas aids in setting a beneficial example for her class ASB – and the class of 2024 as a whole.

Besides promoting a motivational and persevering environment, a significant impact Capas has left on CKHS ASB is the alteration of the ASB Constitution to allow Running Start students to run for high-profile ASB positions, such as President or Vice President, in their junior and senior years.

Previously, the Constitution disallowed this opportunity, but according to Sullivan, the ASB “felt so passionate that Ferrah would do such a great job despite participating in Running Start that they all advocated for the constitutional amendment.” This motion was passed unanimously, and though Capas has decided to remain a full-time high school student, her dedication to ASB and commitment to her role as a class president shifted future ASB opportunities to become more inclusive of all CKHS students.

Within the upcoming school year and ASB term, Capas is looking forward to executing school events and celebrations that are more satisfactory for the CKHS student body, especially as students are healing and rebounding from the lethargy and isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Landon hopes that Capas can utilize the legacy of previous ASB years to improve the school culture and spirit. 

“After COVID, I just feel like towards dances, people don’t really seem enthusiastic about it. They automatically think ‘it’s not going to be fun,’” Landon explained.

However, with an increase in more diverse opportunities for CKHS students to “make connections that make [school] feel more welcoming,” Landon is optimistic that Capas can help lead the school to a stronger and more stable environment.

Capas cannot envision achieving this ideal school atmosphere without the support of her class and executive ASBs, with whom she feels connected with and strengthened by. Even in moments of stress and exhaustion, the connection of the ASB Executive Board excites her to continue participating in the preparation and facilitation of events.

For example, CKHS’s class of 2021 graduation was the first in-person graduation to be held after the 2020 graduations were virtual due to COVID-19. Split up into three separate graduations and taking place at Cougar Stadium, CKHS ASB had to remain at the field for 12 hours to set up, clean, guide and assist throughout the ceremony throughout a gray day of rain. 

“That graduation was so awful, but it was a bonding experience to be standing outside in the rain for hours and then sitting in a room filled with snacks after the final graduation was fun,” Capas recalled, laughing about the difficulty of navigating through the unfamiliar post-COVID-19 territory at high school graduations.

Overall, Capas describes ASB as influential to participants’ lives, considering it a “really good experience through getting involved. There are better college opportunities, and learning leadership skills and just collaborating with peers and teachers is connecting and important.”

Capas’s dedication and commitment to CKHS ASB is reflected in the effects of her leadership, through inspiring students to assist their community by establishing a joyful and welcoming environment.

“ASB is definitely important for all students. I feel like the things ASB does may look like it may not matter, but just look at the school morale building through spirit weeks and…[our work] on diversity issues to advocate for more diversity within our schools and education,” Capas finalized.