Vibrant lights illuminate the dance floor, loud music echoing in students’ ears, streamers twirling from the ceiling, and balloons bobbing playfully in every corner—Prom, Homecoming, and Winter Ball are Latin’s crown jewels of fun. They allow students to escape the overwhelming pressures of school for unforgettable nights bursting with joy, laughter, and thrill.

However, these special events do not simply happen with the snap of a finger; they demand hours of effort and careful preparation put into planning to create the perfect night. But who dedicates the time and energy? Senior Vivian Lee-Yee, also known as a track star and co-head of Green Club, holds the title of Social Chair on the Student Government Executive Board.

Vivian has become a cornerstone of the Latin community since joining the school in sixth grade. From the start, watching the high schoolers first light up the school dance floor sparked her passion for organizing school events.

“Since Middle School, I was really excited for the school dance.” Vivian said, “The prospect of having a school dance was really interesting to me, and I was trying to get myself more involved in the community.”

During her junior year of high school, Vivian set her dream into action and decided to run for Social Chair.

“Going into the election, I did not think I was going to win,” Vivian said. “But I knew that I wanted the position for the right reasons, [and] knew that I wanted to improve something that everyone in the community really likes.”

Recognizing Vivian’s dedication and drive, Latin students elected Vivian for the position, and she became Latin’s Social Chair.

Junior Hadja Barry said, “Playing on the same volleyball team as Vivian freshman year, she was extremely welcoming and hardworking. She definitely had my vote.”

Despite her current confidence, Vivian was not always completely comfortable in student government. When she first assumed the role, the demands of the position shocked her.

“I was not expecting the amount of work that was going to go into it, and it was just super unfamiliar,” Vivian said. “I had no real experience setting up for school dances.”

But with the guidance of Upper School Dean and former faculty advisor of student government, Lenny Goldman, and the other student government members, Vivian quickly adapted to the role, pursuing it in her own unique and innovative way.

“[Mr. Goldman] guided me on what to do, but never did it for me, which I think helped me develop leadership skills,” Vivian said. “The seniors on the executive board that year all really knew what they were doing, so their confidence and willingness to help out was great.”

From her junior year to now, Vivian has gone above and beyond fulfilling her responsibilities, bringing the school community together through engaging and memorable school events.

Upper School history teacher and faculty advisor of student government Debbie Linder said, “[Vivian] has this amazing eye to see designs and place things, in terms of making our spaces for our dances and events, that is incredibly mature and really creative.”

Vivian’s creative abilities have been recognized not only by the school but also by companies and venues that host the school dances.

Ms. Linder said, “The setup that we did for Homecoming was so good that the people who work at the space said, ‘We need to tell other people how to do that.’”

Beyond Vivian’s artistic vision, her hard work and unwavering commitment to the role have been key to her success at Social Chair.

“I'm the type of person who, when I start working on something, I get super locked in, which I think helps me. I just like to get things done as soon as they come to mind for the most part,” Vivian said.

Although Vivian has taken on her responsibilities head-on, the many expectations that come with the role present challenges as well.

“It's kind of just been a challenge trying to balance my time, especially junior and senior year, when you're super busy. Especially this year, since I've gotten a lot more involved with what I do in student government,” Vivian said.

Despite the difficulty of creating a well-rounded schedule, Vivian has set herself high expectations to accomplish many goals in student government this year.

“I wanted to get people excited to participate in school activities, and part of that was just finding ways to make the dances more exciting,” Vivian said. “For example, Winter Ball this year, we had a photo booth, which I thought was super fun. At Homecoming, I think the venue being smaller pushed everyone together physically, so everyone really felt like they were together and having a good time.”

Vivian’s hard work and dedication to improving school events have made a clear impact on the student body.

Junior Sadie Cohen said, “I thought that Homecoming went really well, and the space was perfect. I think that, compared to previous years, everyone had more fun and participated more in the dancing and the community aspect.”

The positive response from students, like Sadie, highlights Vivian’s energetic and determined approach to building a stronger Latin community. That same enthusiasm for bringing people together extends beyond event planning. As the new heads of student government joined the executive board this year, Vivian has made it her goal to help the new members transition into their positions with ease.

“[Vivian] has taken on so many roles, even ones that are beyond her own,” Ms. Linder said. “She becomes a role model for other people to see what being a leader is.”

Beyond serving as a role model, Vivian plays a key role in building a sense of unity within the executive board, which, in addition to Vivian, includes Carla Di Silvestro as Co-Curricular Chair, Alex Stamos as Communications Chair, Rohin Shah as Junior Prefect, and Raluchi Nzelibe as Senior Prefect.

“We all really foster a really unique environment of family, and I feel like the five of us are all really close,” junior and Communications Chair Alex Stamos said. “We have specific duties, and so when we need a helping hand, she's always there for us, and it really goes beyond just planning events.”

As Vivian prepares to graduate and pursue new opportunities in college, her impact on student government will continue to resonate within the community she helped strengthen. She encourages other students to step into her role as Social Chair in the coming years.

“There's really nothing to lose, and it's an amazing experience,” Vivian said. “You gain leadership, you gain connections with teachers that you wouldn't normally talk to, and students in different grades.”

In recognition of her contributions, Mr. Goldman said, “My favorite part of working with Vivian is definitely just being able to build a relationship with such a special person. I’m sure someone great will fill her shoes, but she will be missed for sure.”