Dylan Matter vividly recalls the announcement that he was the new president of the Associated Student Body of Coronado High School (ASB) days after tireless campaigning in May.
“The whole classroom just like erupted. I walked out into the quad and some people were hugging me and congratulating me and shaking my hand and it was like such a cool experience,” said Matter about the election he won against one other student.
Matter, 17, is a rising senior excited about leading the Coronado student body in 2024-25.
The Chula Vista resident has attended schools in Coronado since kindergarten and was once the fifth-grade class president at Village Elementary School. Matter said his two older sisters also attended Coronado schools.
“I think of it as like a second home; I’m always here. All my friends are here. This is where I spend most of my time,” said Matter.
“It’s gonna be fun this year,” he added. “I’m excited and I want to make the most of it.”
This year’s ASB plans
Matter said that his sophomore yearbook class pushed him to apply and be a part of ASB.
“My favorite part is really getting to know people,” said Matter. “I feel like I can talk to any person. …[ASB] breaks that barrier.”
Former ASB president Wyatt Riebe presented Matter to the Coronado Unified board on the seniors’ last day of school during the June 6 meeting to begin his role as president and school board representative.
“It was cool what I saw and I’m really excited to go back,” said Matter. “I’m so open to sitting down with kids and being like ‘Hey, what do you want to talk about? Is there anything you want heard?’…Now that I have a seat at the board, I feel like I can voice those opinions that kids necessarily wouldn’t share otherwise.”
This job includes reporting to the board on every school within the district about upcoming events each month, added Matter.
Throughout the year, Matter will work alongside other ASB leaders, including the executive commission and class officers. This group got the opportunity to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other high schools at a camp at UC Santa Barbara.
“Ms. Belong, our ASB advisor, helps a lot. She does a great job of managing and kind of getting us on top of things…that’s a big help,” said Matter. “I couldn’t do everything without my fellow ASB members, especially my Ex-Comm, they’ve done a great job just this summer alone.”
Matter said that ASB has been meeting throughout the summer to begin planning for the year ahead and the first big event is the upcoming orientation for freshman and new students the day before school officially starts on Aug. 22.
Right now, ASB is focused on back-to-school activities, pep rallies and football season before transitioning to homecoming in October and eventually prom in the spring, added Matter.
“We’re really trying to build culture and spirit this year,” said Matter. “I want the whole school to enjoy coming to school.”
Personally, Matter said he is looking forward to football games and homecoming at the beginning of the year and powderpuff by the end of the school year, an annual flag football game for juniors and seniors, where the girls play and the boys get the opportunity to cheer for the teams.
“A big goal of mine this year is to learn as many names as possible,” said Matter. “I really just want kids to have fun this year.”
Future career in journalism
Apart from building school spirit, Matter is also looking forward to preparing for graduation and life beyond.
Matter said his favorite classes have always been English and history. This summer, Matter got the opportunity to learn and practice journalism through a residential program at the University of Southern California.
“I love writing and going out and talking to people and that kind of led me on that program,” said Matter. “USC is the goal.”
Matter is interested in studying journalism in college and covering entertainment in the future, and he hopes to follow in his mother and sister’s footsteps in continuing the Trojan legacy in his family.
“I think I’ve really gotten that high school experience that is like talked about in the movies,” said Matter. “That’s kind of why I joined ASB. I want kids to experience that. I really want other kids to enjoy going and feel the way I do about school.”
