GAST’s First Presidential Elections

On November 7, the Tbilisi Georgian-American School held its very first student presidential elections. The mandate of GAST’s President and Vice President for the upcoming year was won by 9th-grade students Nutsa Lagazidze and Natali Seturidze.

A total of five parties from Grades VII–IX ran for the position of School President. Students of Grades VII–IX, teachers, and administrative staff all had the right to vote. The final distribution of votes was as follows:

1. Voice of the Future – 32.4%
2. GAST Knowledge – 31.4%
3. IGNIS – 14.3%
4. Hope for the Future – 10.5%
5. Progress – 10.5%

As part of the pre-election campaign, candidates produced promotional videos and designed posters that were displayed on the school’s information boards. A few days before the election, the presidential and vice-presidential candidates presented their programs to voters during an open meeting, followed by a debate where students had the opportunity to ask questions.

The elections were initiated and organized by Mari Kashia, head of the Civic Education Club Democracy Lab.

The Role of the School President

The School President represents the Student Council—one of the school’s key structural bodies—which aims to promote:

• Student participation in democratic processes and encouragement of civic engagement
• Active involvement in school life
• Strengthening the principles of equality, respect, and teamwork among students
• Development of critical thinking and leadership skills

The presidential elections mirror the model of a student self-governance institution and are conducted in full accordance with democratic principles.

We sincerely thank all five parties for participating in the election. Each of their ideas is valuable for the development of our school. We truly believe that only through teamwork and unity can we move forward!