After submitting a resume, a letter of recommendation and a video explaining why she would be the best candidate for the job, junior Anna Wilder beat out three other opponents to become the Florida Scholastic Press Association District 3 representative on Oct. 6.

“I am so excited that I won the competition,” Wilder said. “I really didn’t think I had a chance considering I was running against three more people with a lot more experience, but I was really happy when I found out.”

Wilder is the second West Shore student to become representative in the past two years, with senior and FSPA state chairman Gianni Valenti winning last year.

“I’m very proud of her,” Valenti said. “She was thrown into the race pretty last-minute, and she really proved her abilities through working as hard as she could in class and on her application. I was especially proud when she organized the making of her video with some of the WCTZ News kids because people at the workshop told us that the reason they voted for her was because her video was so much better than the rest.”

Because Valenti and Wilder work together on the yearbook, Valenti believes they will connect especially well together when planning FSPA’s state convention in April.

“Since I know all the workings of how the convention is planned I’m going to be really clear with everyone’s duties,” Valenti said. “I’ll give Anna something she can do really well so her part of the puzzle will be something she can handle. I want to give her all the tools to succeed and make her the state chairwoman next year because she has what it takes.”

Wilder said she is excited for the opportunity.

“I can’t wait to start planning FSPA,” Wilder said. “I want to do the best job that I can do and work with all the other representatives and Gianni to put on a great convention.”