Monica Simon Thomas, 12, has already made a lasting impact on her school community through leadership and involvement. She serves as the senior class president, a National Honor Society (NHS) leader, and a Synnovation Lab student leader. But that is not all: she goes above and beyond with her involvement at school. She is a confident, authentic, and adaptable leader, and these are qualities that shape the way she represents the senior class.
Elected by her peers and later selected for senior leadership through an interview process, Simon Thomas now helps guide council activities and supports underclassmen during daily meetings. She is involved in planning major school events through various committees including prom, homecoming, pep rallies, blood drives, and service projects. Simon Thomas frequently leads her own group while also assisting others.
Simon Thomas believes her ability to connect with different groups helps guide her decisions in student council, explaining that she is “a good representation of many different groups and types of people” in her grade. Because she is involved in a wide range of academic programs and extracurriculars, she works with students with different interests, involvement levels, and goals. That perspective allows her to make choices to benefit not just one group, but the senior class and school community as a whole. Through this approach, Simon Thomas emphasizes strong and thoughtful leadership in her work. She also has been able to connect, and grow stronger connections with other students.
Alongside her leadership positions, she maintains a schedule that includes college-level classes and a part-time job, demonstrating her ability to manage significant responsibilities both inside and outside of school. She credits her mother as a major influence, citing her work as a chemical engineer in a male-dominated industry as a source of inspiration.
Watching her mother succeed has shaped her own confidence and approach to leadership. Reflecting on her own high school experience, she offers reassurance to her peers, stating, “Everything will work itself out.” Balancing leadership, academics, and life outside of school isn’t easy, but as senior class president, Simon Thomas has done exactly that.
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