Q&A for How to Write a High School President Speech

Pay attention to your body language while you're presenting. Convey emotions with your face and use your hand movements to emphasize your points.

The simple answer is pretty cliche. Think about how you would feel if they won. Are you okay with that? Try telling them how you feel. And any friend that isn't proud of your accomplishments isn't a real friend. If the friendship is strong, you should be able to each run a clean campaign and be happy for the other if they win.

If you are running against more experienced candidates, you should focus on how you'll bring fresh ideas to the position. Use your youth to your advantage, but don't portray yourself as inexperienced; instead, highlight elements of your background that show you're ready for the job.

You can try throwing in a quick joke or anecdote at the beginning of the speech, but don't try to fill the whole thing with humorous bits. You have a limited amount of time to make your case and/or get your message across.

You can if you'd like, but try to avoid bragging about them.

Write about what you have accomplished that relates to being class president (any leadership roles you've had or roles that required responsibility), and write about what you will do to make your school a better place.

All you can do is lead by example. Remember, not all students will listen; they might think it's not your job to tell them to listen and behave. Just do what you do, and let them be them. You can't always control what others do.

Make sure to clearly introduce yourself early on, but focus especially on presenting your concrete ideas about what you can achieve as president. Use being an "outsider" to your advantage by mentioning how it gives you a different perspective.

Giving a great speech can help persuade your peers to vote for you for class president. A great speech has a great structure, and is a good balance of information and personal details, with a touch of humor to help you relate to your classmates. Start by quickly introducing yourself by telling your audience who you are, what class you're in, and why you're running for president. Then, explain a few major issues you plan to address if you become president. Explain why you think you're qualified to be president and why you're different than the other candidates. Try peppering details about your personal life so they can get a sense of who you are. Wrap up your speech with a call to action and ask your classmates to vote for you.

Oftentimes, the best introductions are the most simple and direct. Start by giving your audience clear and basic information such as who you are and why you're running for president. The reason why you're running can be a guide to help you shape the tone and structure of your speech. For example, you could say something like, "Hello, everyone. My name is Chris Smith, and I'm running for class president because I believe students should have more input when it comes to school policy." From there, you can expand on how you plan to get students more involved in shaping school policies and procedures.

A good conclusion will help remind your audience about what you stand for and drive home your points, leaving them excited and energized to vote for you. Summarize the major points you made in your speech so they're fresh in your audience's mind. Remind them of your name, just so they're clear, and end with an rallying call for them to vote for you on election day. For instance, you could say, "And remember, if you want your school to be a more fair and welcoming place for students, 'You can't miss with Chris!' I'm Chris Smith, and I hope you'll vote for me on election day."