In an effort to include more student voice, student activities director Katie Odell has created an official method of picking the graduation speaker that involves a senior vote, making some changes from last year.

Last May, Niles West removed class rankings and students auditioned in front of a committee of teachers and administrators when previously, the honor been assigned to the valedictorian and salutatorian.

“Since they got rid of class rank, we have to think of an official way to determine who’s going to be our graduation speaker,” Odell said.

An application has been created with some specific criteria listed. Students can fill out the form and share it with Odell through Google docs.

“I’ve emailed the application to students and posted it on our website. After students share the form with me, a committee is going to interview them and narrow the pool,” she said.

This committee, comprised of Odell, principal Jason Ness, and teachers from different departments will decide which applicants will move on.

Then, for the first time, seniors will have a voice in who becomes their graduation speaker.

“Last year, students didn’t have a voice, and we’ve included that this year. Once [the committee has] narrowed it down, the applicants will have to prepare a sample speech to present to the senior class, and the senior class will vote on the final applicants,” Odell said.

Applicants will be asked to provide a 30-second sample of their speech to recite in front of the senior class before the voting starts.

“I don’t want them to give away their speech, so they’re really going to do 30 seconds of their speech. It doesn’t have to be the beginning, it doesn’t have to be the middle, it doesn’t have to be the end,” Odell said.

The last day to submit applications is Wednesday, March 11.