On Sunday, October 20, 2025, Woodcrest held the SC Presidential Debate at the
Woodcrest Theater. Here the student body were able to meet the candidates and listen to them debate the very important questions. The three candidates were This year’s race features three diverse candidates: Lazlo Hunter, known for his policy-driven approach and focus on academic reform; Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce, the charismatic candidate with a bold, memorable personality and flair for connecting with students; and Xander Bell, a grassroots community advocate dedicated to student welfare and inclusivity.
Mandie, the current Student Council President, started off the debate by asking each candidate to introduce themselves. Then it was followed by a series of questions. Here are the questions and a summary of the candidates’ answers.
“What motivated you to run for student council president?”
Lazlo Hunter – He explains that his desire to run for Student Council President has grown stronger over the past year. After seeing the council’s potential but limited engagement, he wants to expand its reach and better serve the community. He believes a good president should be transparent, honest, open to ideas, and approachable—not just focused on existing involvement.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She said her biggest motivation comes from Woodcrest, the students who believe in her, and the positive changes they can create together. Encouragement from former president Mandie and hearing students’ ideas inspired her to run, bringing qualities like listening, communication, empathy, mindfulness, and collaboration.
Xander Bell – He jokingly ( hopefully) explained that he decided to run for Student Council President while drunk, claiming his candidacy represents “total Xanarchy.” In a humorous and chaotic tone, he said he has no plan and nothing to hide, presenting himself as an unfiltered and honest choice.
“What’s your long term vision for the student council’s role in school life?”
Lazlo Hunter – He said his long-term goal is to improve the Student Council’s visibility and impact. He plans to revive popular past events like Career Week and the Valentine’s Ball, promote inclusivity by reopening the LGBTQ office, and increase accountability through open student forums.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She said her goal is to restore valuable traditions at Woodcrest, such as career fairs, class and sports fairs, and mental health awareness events, to showcase what the university has to offer and bring back what has been lost over time. She also wants to boost student engagement by using social spaces for casual meetups, game nights, and informal student council meetings, like ice cream socials. Her goal is to make the council more approachable and involved in more events, such as Pride Week.
Xander Bell – He delivered a satirical, over-the-top speech mocking traditional campaign promises. In a chaotic, tongue-in-cheek tone, he joked about corruption, addiction, and power, presenting himself as a self-proclaimed “god” whose vision is a theocracy—clearly meant as dark humor rather than a serious platform.
“How do you plan to include new students or those who aren’t usually involved in activities?”
Lazlo Hunter – He acknowledged that engaging new and less-involved students is challenging. To address this, he proposed improving the enrollment process and creating a buddy system to help newcomers feel included and informed. He also emphasized personally reaching out to students who feel excluded to build connections and encourage participation.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She plans to find out what activities people enjoy outside of current campus events and explore creating new ones together. She wants to encourage ongoing engagement by showing interest in others’ interests. She also suggests organizing periodic “rush times” for new students at Woodcrest to meet up, share ideas, and discuss activities they’d like to see on campus.
Xander Bell – He passionately criticized Greek life leaders at Woodcrest, accusing them of hypocrisy for focusing on superficial events instead of true community values like inclusion and fairness. He condemned them for repeating the same mistakes that led to the downfall of the Greek system.
“ How do you handle criticism or feedback, and have you had any problems with it in the past?”
Lazlo Hunter –
He regularly deals with criticism at Woodcrest and sees it as an important part of growth. He believes in analyzing feedback deeply rather than taking it at face value, since criticism can sometimes point to deeper issues.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce –
She values open-mindedness when handling criticism, focusing on improvement and collaboration. She believes everyone is entitled to their opinion and emphasizes working together to make things better for students and non-students alike.
Xander Bell –
He responds dramatically and aggressively, framing criticism in religious and apocalyptic terms. His speech mixes self-aggrandizement with hostility toward others, portraying himself as a divine figure battling evil and condemning those he perceives as sinful or disrespectful.
“What will be the first thing you would like to accomplish if elected?”
Lazlo Hunter –
He outlines clear, practical goals for improving student representation and engagement. His main priorities include reinstating a Greek Liaison on the student council, enhancing communication between students and the council, improving enrollment, and ensuring all students feel included and supported.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She wants to make sure every student’s voice is heard by the student council. Her goal is to gather ideas and feedback from the student body, address issues fairly, and encourage open participation since every idea contributes to progress and community building.
Xander Bell- He gives a chaotic, exaggerated speech portraying himself as a divine savior. His response mixes religious imagery, personal outbursts, and contradictions—claiming to be “God,” condemning others (especially Lazlo), and rambling about salvation, drugs, and love.
“How do you plan to make our school a better place for students?”
Lazlo Hunter –
He believes the school is doing well overall but sees room to improve student engagement, especially during lulls between major events. He wants the student council to actively support and promote student-led initiatives, using examples like helping someone start a darts league.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce –
She aims to make Woodcrest more connected through social and athletic engagement. Her plan includes using social platforms and sports activities to bring students together across different houses, classes, and extracurriculars—not just within student council meetings.
Xander Bell –
He claims his goal is to “cleanse” the student body of moral impurity, using religious and moralistic language. He condemns superficiality and calls for students to focus on education over vice, though his speech becomes erratic and inappropriate as he mixes divine self-comparisons with crude and personal remarks.
“How will you handle disagreements within the council or among students?”
Lazlo Hunter – He believes disagreements—whether within the council or from students—should be handled with respect and open discussion. Among council members, disagreement helps refine ideas and improve decisions. From students, it must be treated with dignity and used to correct mistakes, since the council exists to serve, not stand above, the student body.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She emphasizes communication and teamwork when handling disagreements. Everyone’s opinion deserves to be heard, and by setting aside ego and talking things through, the council can find common ground and keep functioning smoothly like parts of a well-working machine.
Xander Bell – He delivers another extreme, erratic monologue, portraying himself as a vengeful “God” who punishes dissent harshly. His response focuses on domination, threats, and violent imagery rather than collaboration or problem-solving, showing a dictatorial and delusional mindset.
“What message do you want to leave with the student body today? “
Lazlo Hunter – He focuses on experience and action, pointing to his leadership in campus events like the Fun Run and Greek Olympics. He positions himself as a representative of the entire student body, promising an unbiased, effective council that truly listens to and supports students rather than serving its own interests.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce – She highlights her involvement in multiple areas of campus life—such as being a house member, cheer captain, and performing arts co-instructor—and says these experiences help her understand student needs. She promises to make Woodcrest a welcoming, unified, and fair environment for everyone.
Xander Bell – He delivers another long, theatrical speech filled with religious and exaggerated language. He claims divine knowledge of students’ hearts and preaches unity among all Greek houses and students. Despite moments of positive messages about peace and acceptance, his response devolves into bizarre, inappropriate, and self-absorbed remarks.
That concludes the questions from the panel. I myself stepped up and asked a question I thought was very important as, with holding a position as high as President, I wanted to see how they would respond to the question of bullying.
“ If you saw one of your peers, sisters, or brothers trying to bully someone, for example, by talking badly about them to make others turn against them, how would you handle it?”
Lazlo Hunter – He would first ensure the affected student feels supported and acknowledged. Then, he would gather evidence and escalate the issue to university administration if necessary, since the student council’s role is to advocate—not to act as judge or enforcer.
Lil Kitten Diavala Pierce- She would start by personally talking with those involved to understand the issue before taking it further. She emphasizes involving relevant house council members, promoting respect and empathy, and discouraging bullying by encouraging kindness and positive actions toward others.