2026 Student Government Candidate
I wish to serve as student government president because one of my philosophies is service to others. I enjoy giving back to others and supporting my community, believing that a leader’s purpose is not to just organize or instruct—but to lead by service.
My commitment to this principle is best reflected in my commitment to the Boy Scouts.
I have been in my troop for six years. Boy Scouts has developed me in many ways, specifically through my duty as a senior patrol leader. It has taught me that a leader is only effective if he serves those he leads and leads alongside them. I want to bring this servant-leader mindset to Farrell. I want to improve the school community by serving my brothers as a medium for their voices. I want to serve my brothers as a president who is accessible, reliable, and focused on standing up for them.
I envision this role to be a bridge between the student body and the administration. I see the role of president to be an advocate for students’ needs and ideas. The student government president is a partnership utilized to improve the lives of students while encouraging and leading them to uphold and continue the legacy of the Vir Fidelis.
One suggestion I have to strengthen the Farrell community and live out my philosophy of service to others is the Vir Fidelis Service Honor Society.
The Vir Fidelis Service Honor Society
At Monsignor Farrell, we have many awards for scholarship, like the National Honor Society, underclassmen awards, and senior awards at graduation. All of these awards do a great job of honoring and rewarding students for their outstanding academic achievements. However, they do not focus enough on service. I feel that as a Farrell man, we should do more to assist our community and serve others the way God intends us to.
This society would be solely focused on recognizing students who go above and beyond in giving back to our Staten Island community. Instead of just fulfilling hours, the group would spend time identifying, planning, and organizing high-impact projects that address local needs, much like Eagle Scout projects.
What is a Vir Fidelis?
When I walked into the gym in 2023 for my incoming freshmen orientation, a few phrases and words were ever-present: brotherhood, service, and doing the right thing because it is the right thing. I could not fully fathom this idea at the time; frankly, I found these recurring motifs strange. Throughout my three years, I have derived and developed my own understanding of the Vir Fidelis.
Literally, "Vir fidelis" translates to the faithful man. However, all these expressions are what I like to think of as pillars that fit together to form the Faithful Man. It is a three-dimensional commitment.
It starts with integrity and doing the right thing because it’s the right thing to do. A Vir Fidelis does not dedicate his actions to what he might gain or who is watching. Instead, he is the one cleaning up when everyone leaves or the one stepping up to support, regardless of whether it will give him recognition.
A Vir Fidelis is a man for others, a consistent shoulder people can lean on without needing to check if it is there. It is a man who loves not just his direct family but also his friends, Farrell brothers, and community.
A Vir Fidelis is a man who understands his active responsibility to his peers and recognizes his commitment.
A Vir Fidelis is a man who recognizes his own talents and can put them to use to benefit others.
A Vir Fidelis is a man who can identify situations where he can remove a burden from others or where he can use his skills for the good of his community.
I have learned that the faithful man is someone who can balance all these responsibilities with the help of and faith in God. A faithful man can exhibit these qualities while serving and trusting in God.
- Benjamin Mick