TOWAMENCIN – Planning an event for a school is a challenge within itself, but when there are 3,000 kids, the job is much harder. Over the years, North Penn has put together an organization run by passionate students to manage any and all schoolwide events, the Student Government Association (SGA).

The SGA became a driving force in North Penn in the early 1970s when the high school switched from the Penndale Middle School building to the current one. The organization was run by a well-respected, US history and government teacher, Mr. Jim Finnemeyer.

Finnemeyer helped the North Penn class of 1974 transform the SGA after the big move to the new building. The SGA did not excel at the old building, so once at the new school, a new “constitution” was written and there was a name change from Student Council to the Student Government Association.

“We basically designed a stronger, more organized organization.” said Finnemeyer.

The SGA, exactly like today, attended the student council state conferences and took ideas from other schools to create a strong organization for the student body.

Input came in from all areas of the school because of the House of Reps, which was formed back then. Just like today, reps were chosen from history classes, and each would report back the next day.

“It gave us students from all academic levels of the student body” explained Finnemeyer “That is still a strength today.”

Throughout the 1970s, the SGA really worked hard to make North Penn a better, more personalized school for the students. Each week, the SGA would post a list of all the students whose birthdays fell within that week. Then, on their actual birthday, the student would receive a card and lollipop in celebration. That tradition has since faded away, but others, such as sophomore orientation and activities fair, have not, and current students are grateful for that.

To make North Penn a more fun school to attend, events of all sorts were hosted, some that are even still around today. A long-lost tradition was the SGA- hosted parade followed by pep rally and dance at North Penn the night before the Thanksgiving Day football game. One tradition that is still a student favorite is the annual powderpuff football game. Students today still enjoy the fun-filled event that started in the 1970s and has changed little since. Even though some have died out, all events were hosted specifically for the student body to bond in order to become more unified.

Aside from planning fun events for the school, the SGA also addressed social issues of the time.

In the 1970s, students were allowed to smoke at school, so the SGA designed and funded a designated smoking area for students in order to keep them out of the bathrooms. The SGA would then take time out of their schedule to maintain the wellness of the area.

“We had student voice and were not just an activities organization” explained Finnemeyer “[We planned] dances and did all of that. [We were] very much into student issues, student voice, student decision making with principals, and representing the student body. That was very important to me and obviously it was very important to the kids.”

Still the same as today, the North Penn SGA works hard to give the students of North Penn say in what happens throughout the school.

“SGA is what gives our student body a voice” explained current North Penn sophomore and SGA senator, Anissa Gardizy “and by doing that we are able to make a school of almost 3,000 heard, which is pretty impressive if you ask me.”

Throughout the years, the North Penn Student Government Association has kept moving forward growing into an organization bigger and better than ever before. Even though there have been some advancements along the way, the SGA has kept in touch with its 1970s roots.