A people person and one not afraid to talk to anyone, Dylan Silvey was elected by his peers in the Spring of 2016 as this school year's California High School student body president.
With his vice-president Cassie Dearixon, who is a "hard worker" and who "gets a lot done," the pair earned 150 signatures to be on the ballot and then were elected after a lengthy campaign season.
For a student who did not participate in student council his freshman and sophomore years, Silvey decided to get more involved his junior year, he said.
He was a member of several clubs, sports teams and extracurricular activities. But that year, he was elected junior class president.
Silvey's high school activities include concert choir, Sounds of Joy, Tri M, band, pep band, jazz band, drum line, Spanish Club, Drama Club, football, National Honor Society, DECA and track.
"I like being busy," Silvey said. "I'm a people-person. I like to get out and do stuff."
Serving as student body president has not been easy, he said.
In addition to being responsible for organizing meetings and planning events, he's become a role model to younger students.
"I feel if we're involved, others might get involved," Silvey said.
Leading school assemblies, Silvey said he's learned the value of time management.
And, he's been sharing advice with the newly-elected student body president and vice-president, Elizabeth Lutz and Cole Pettigrew.
This year, he has overseen the student council's myriad of activities, including the leadership workshop, T-shirt sales, hosting dances, organizing school assemblies, hosting the Mr. Pinto Contest, and volunteer efforts, including babysitting and helping at the local food pantry.
"Most of the stuff that happens in school, comes through us," he said.
Last week, the council arranged Teacher Appreciation Week, serving donuts, bringing in professional massage therapists and organizing volunteers for teachers.
Recently, they also created a Leadership Week, where officers of each school club were recognized and encouraged with locker notes and their names on the commons windows.
Silvey said he is fond of the Special Olympics fundraisers, including Penny Wars competition between classes, and the Polar Bear Plunge.
"Our traditions are thick," he said.
The council also introduced a new event this year. The "Block the Door" campaign encouraged canned food donations with the incentive of donating by class. If an individual class received enough donations to fill the doorway, that class would be canceled for the day.
"I feel that was very successful," Silvey said.
Taking on the leadership experience has helped him open up more, especially regarding public speaking, Silvey said.
As he heads to State Fair Community College, Sedalia, in the fall on a choir scholarship, Silvey said he hopes to remain active in music and other activities.
The son of Dale and Kim Silvey and brother to Tyler and Myra, his career goal is the join the Missouri State Highway Patrol.