Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Pearce-Atchison duo at Morgan Academy has proven to be power players in the Alabama Independent Schools Association Student Government Association.

Libby Pearce, a junior at Morgan, was elected the state SGA President while Thomas Clay Atchison, a sophomore, was elected as District 3 Representative. The two also serve as school SGA President and Vice President.

“We have made a really good team, first serving here at Morgan and then as we ran for state offices,” said Pearce, the daughter of Beth and Will Pearce. “Thomas Clay has been my biggest supporter, and he is one of the reasons why I got elected State SGA President.”

Atchison, the son of Tommy and Kaley Atchison, said he was excited to get the opportunity to serve as a District 3 Representative. In many ways, he will be serving similar duties supporting Pearce at the state level as he has done at Morgan.

“My job as district representative is to relay the message of the president and the state SGA back to the schools in my district,” Atchison said. “So whatever Libby wants to do as president, my job is to work with the schools to get those projects done.”

As president, Pearce will set the agenda for the projects for the upcoming school year. One of the goals she campaigned on was making “magic moments” for students who may not get that opportunity due to illness or disability.

“What I want SGA to do statewide is for each school to sponsor at least one student to have their magic moment,” Pearce said. “This past year, one student’s dream was to dance with the Rockets. Another got a chance to meet Bruce Pearl and the Auburn men’s basketball team. Others want to go to Disney World. Some may want to ride in a fire engine and be a firefighter for a day. I just want us to make a difference in the lives of these students.”

To campaign for the position, the students used their Instagram accounts and posted about their platforms for what they would do if elected. Then at the state spring convention, the duo had to give speeches. Pearce gave hers in front of the entire crowd at the Faulkner University gymnasium while Atchison gave his only in front of the delegates from his district.

“I was glad that I didn’t have to give a speech in front of a podium,” Atchison said. “All I had to do was get up and talk about what I wanted to do as a delegate.”

“My speech was in front of the whole group,” Pearce said “It was a little nerve-wracking, but it was a great experience to get to do this.”

When both got elected, they said they were excited for the opportunity.

“I was very surprised and very excited to be elected as a District 3 representative,” Atchison said. “I am kind of a newbie to this, so to be a representative in my first time was really exciting for me.”

Pearce is currently serving as state SGA Chaplain. During this year, she has worked closely with the state president to learn about the position and what she would need to do to seek the position this year.

“I got a chance to learn from the current president and understand what kind of leadership it takes to be the state president,” Pearce said. “I am honored and extremely excited to get a chance to serve the AISA SGA as president.”

Atchison said he and his new president will continue to work together.

“We are excited for the opportunity to work for the student government associations of the AISA,” Atchison said. “Our goal is to do our best to make SGA better and to fulfill Libby’s projects for the upcoming year.”