ZSRU History
March 3, 2008 was just another day in Mr. Dave Ferrell’s 2nd period US History class. The class was composed of a diverse group of individuals, but that day a simple email memorandum to the staff of ZCHS would unite them to change the face of the student body....
Steve Ross
Founder & Chairman Emeritus
Steven M. Ross (Class of 2009) founded the ZSRU in early 2008. Steve was born in Indianapolis, and moved to Zionsville in 2001, before his 5th grade year.
Ross crafted the Union’s organizational structure, and served as Chairman for the ZSRU’s first two school years. While building up the significant clout the ZSRU now possesses, Ross formed the synergistic relationships it enjoys with school officials, community leaders, and the student body. Steve spearheaded a large body of successes, from protecting basic student rights, to the officially adopted Senior Final Exemption policy (perhaps his most visible success while in office).
In the last months of his Chairmanship, Ross began several high-profile projects that the Union has since completed or carries on today, including the Sleep to Succeed Project (successfully passed by the ZCS School Board of Trustees in Spring 2010), and the Zionsville C.A.R.E.S. Campaign (Community Action for Responsibility and Education against Substance-abuse), the ZSRU’s official stance in support of comprehensive drug education and voluntary treatment programs as the most effective solutions to student drug problems. Steve considers the nomination of his successor, current Chairman Abby Llorico, one of the most significant decisions he made while in office.
In spring of 2009, Ross received a $12,500 scholarship from the American Civil Liberties Union for his work with the ZSRU, along with an expenses-paid trip to New York City to attend a leadership conference.
Steve is still active in the student rights and engagement field with a variety of projects he is working on at Indiana University. Steve is a sophomore at IU, majoring in Rhetoric and planning to advance to law school once he has completed his undergraduate degree.
The Founder
The Ross Board of Directors
Directors Emeritus
Past Directors in good standing, or Directors Emeritus, are classified by the Chairman under whom they served.
Not Pictured: Tim Pagano, Class of 2008
Founding Documents
Vice-Chairman Emeritus Taylor Campi
