Meet the 2026-2027 Big Sib Chairs!

Juniors Shane Bacchus, Hannah Kim, Henry Le, Evelyn Lifton, and Madeleine Villamil were selected as the 2026-2027 Big Sib Chairs (BSCs) by the 2025-2026 chairs: Max Abraham, Catherine Chan, Elijah Choi, Izo Kawaguchi, and Ellie Mak. Both the departing and incoming chairs are looking ahead to the program’s goals for the upcoming year.

The application process for becoming a Big Sib Chair consists of several components. First, the written portion includes several short-answer questions and requires recommendations from a teacher, a homeroom leader, and two Little Sibs. Following the written round, the remaining selected applicants move to the second round, where they participate in an interview with the current BSCs. Unlike last year, the chairs introduced a “pitch” at the beginning of the interview, allowing applicants to present a slideshow proposing a new program they would implement if selected. “At first, I tried thinking of […] something I thought nobody else would say, but that idea ended up being really bad in hindsight,” Le said in an email interview. “However, after conferring with my friend, I realized I must really tap into something about the program that I really care for.” Le explained that the pitch went much more smoothly after this idea was given.

During the interview process, the current chairs evaluated each candidate by taking independent notes and recording their initial impressions. After each day of interviews, the chairs met with faculty advisors Undine Guthrie, Casey Pedrick, Sandra Brandan, and Angel Colon to discuss the applicant pool. “All applicants are also internally screened so we get notes from each applicant’s guidance counselor,” Mak said. “So really, we are getting a holistic view of the role our applicants play in Stuy.” While this isn’t formally an application recommendation, all applicants are checked as standard from the outgoing BSCs.

The outgoing BSCs searched for candidates who demonstrated drive during their tenure as Big Sibs. “I know that passion can be a very loose and generic word, but for me that meant looking for people who didn’t just go above and beyond as Big Sibs this year (as many of our applicants did), but also people who would continue that initiative-taking as Chairs,” Choi said.

Shane Bacchus is a leader of the Boys’ Track and Field Team, a remote intern in the cancer department at Mount Sinai Hospital, and a researcher for the Teens in Health science program. Bacchus applied for the chair position to take a more active role in shaping the freshman experience at Stuyvesant. “Getting accustomed to Stuy is, of course, a very difficult thing to do—we’ve all been through it—and so, to me, Big Sibs must provide continuous support and guidance,” Bacchus said in an email interview. “I knew that by becoming a Chair, I could ensure that Big Sibs did their absolute best at helping make freshman year memorable for incoming freshmen.”

Hannah Kim is one of the vice presidents of StuyCast, a member of Stuy SU Events, vice president of the nonprofit Project Capybara, and a member of ARISTA. She is also a member of the Girls’ Track and Field Team, a volunteer at her local rehabilitation center, and a keyboardist for her church’s praise team, an organized group of vocalists and instrumentalists who lead congregational singing. Kim’s desire to lead the program stems from her own experiences with mentorship. “I loved the feeling of helping my Little Sibs, since I personally knew how they were feeling at the moment as a new freshmen and loved sympathizing with them,” Kim said. “For optional events, I would always volunteer to help and help prepare for events during 10th period because of my free [period].”

Henry Le is a Lower Secretariat of Personnel for Stuy Model UN. Le connects his interest in the position to his role as an older brother. “I believe that being an older brother for most of my life was most of my prior experience with volunteering, but I’ve also tutored debate in the Bronx to underprivileged elementary schoolers and tutored little kiddos in English and Math,” Le said. “So all this experience over the years with the younger ones definitely has helped shape who I am.”

Evelyn Lifton is a Spectator Opinions editor and member of The Spectator’s Managing Board—experiences she credits with strengthening her leadership and organizational skills. She is also a figure skater and skating coach, balancing a rigorous practice schedule with teaching younger students. Lifton emphasized the importance of responsibility and perseverance in preparing for the role. “I think [The Spectator] gave me a taste of what it’s like to meet deadlines, to have responsibility, and to lead other people,” Lifton said. She also described what drew her to the position itself, noting that her experience as a Big Sib gave her insight into how to support and guide freshmen effectively. “I really enjoy spending time working on resources for my Little Sibs, and I would enjoy doing it on a larger scale,” she said.

Madeleine Villamil is a co-leader of the Disease Detectives event in Science Olympiad, where she teaches epidemiology and prepares members for competitions. She also tutors the Freshman AP Biology Tutoring Program in school and the STEM·E Youth Career Development Program outside of school. Villamil was motivated to apply by her passion for mentoring and her appreciation for the program’s culture. “I absolutely love the Big Sib program and how it’s integrated into the Stuy experience,” Villamil said. “Being a Big Sib Chair allows me to lead this program that I’m so fond of.” She added that her experience leading Disease Detectives helped shape her leadership style and inspired her to apply. “This experience taught me how I want to lead and my method of leadership, and it definitely inspired me to apply as well,” Villamil said. 

Ultimately, the 2026-2027 chairs aim to provide an enjoyable experience for incoming freshmen through engaging events. “Throwing banger events is what makes being a Big Sib so fulfilling, and it’s the best way for Big Sibs and Little Sibs to grow closer together,” Bacchus said. In addition, while Bacchus also suggested that they would try to bring back Homeroom Periods, an early period promoting Little Sibs and Big Sibs’ interaction, he mentioned that the possibility could be low. Nevertheless, with their combined experience and dedication, the new chairs are prepared to support the incoming class while maintaining the program’s focus on mentorship, community, and connection.

Currently, the 2026-2027 BSCs have been having great teamwork and connection. “I love talking with [the other BSCs], and we’ve really become close friends and are communicating very well,” Le said. “I’m looking forward to working with them throughout the rest of this year and next year!”

The 2025-2026 BSCs expressed full confidence in their successors’ ability to lead the next group of freshmen. “Even in the few short weeks since I have started working with the new chairs, I have seen so many amazing things from them,” Choi said. “The amount of energy, passion, ideas, and time that they have already put into their roles leaves no doubt in my mind that they will be phenomenal leaders of the Big Sib Program.”

As a final word of advice, Kawaguchi encouraged the new team to lead with heart. “Pursue events that excite you and run activities that you actually love,” Kawaguchi said. “Sometimes things won’t go as planned, but that’s okay, it’s all of our first times being a chair.”