Job Description of a High School Student Council Historian

A high school student council historian holds the memories of the organization’s officers, activities and awards in her hands. By collecting and gathering together first-hand accounts, photographs, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia, she becomes actively involved in school life while providing future classes with a detailed record of student council life.

In addition to recording names of officers and committee members, the student council historian is responsible for keeping a record of all student council activities. Advisers expect that the historian will record descriptions of these events, along with both positive and negative comments, in order to make a record of these events and to evaluate their effectiveness. Historians are usually responsible for taking photos and keeping a scrapbook that includes newspaper clippings, printed programs, tickets and other items; today many school club historians scan photos and keep a virtual scrapbook.

Records of student council activities provide important information for classes in the years to come. Future student council members are better able to plan successful events by reviewing the records kept by a previous historian. In addition, alumni of the school will have the opportunity to tap into detailed records for a variety of purposes. When student council organizations apply for awards or opportunities to attend conferences, the process of filling out application materials will be simplified with the historian’s records at hand.

Historians should be task-oriented and organized. They should also be knowledgeable about the workings of the student council. Candidates for the position usually are competent writers and, in the case of virtual historian scrapbooks, computer savvy. If the historian is capable of taking photos himself, only one individual needs to be present at events. In addition, the historian should be a student council member who enjoys the job.

By serving in the position of student council historian, a student has the advantage of being present at all student council meetings and events, giving her an opportunity to have her finger on the pulse of the school. In addition, she has the pleasure of knowing that her work will be used, read and enjoyed by many generations to come.

Before taking on the position of historian, a student should realize that the job is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Conflicts with commitments to part-time jobs, sports teams or music activities that would conflict with many student council activities should be considered before a student takes on the responsibility for this office.