On the 17th May, myself (Isabella Drummond, Head Prefect) and Dinithi Liyanage, Deputy Head Prefect – along with the Five House Captains, Debbie Lee, Zoe Crawford, Grace Adcock, Frederika Clements, and Holly Isherwood – hosted a Prefect Conference for local schools on the North Shore. We were super excited to see Head and Deputy Head prefects from Westlake Boys High School, Rosmini College, Takapuna Grammar, Rangitoto College, Glenfield College, Northcote College, Albany Senior High School, and Long Bay.
We started the day with conversation starters and ice breaker questions between table groups, which enabled us to familiarise ourselves with one another and gain a sense of each others’ leadership styles. It was amazing to be surrounded by a group of ambitious and motivated rangatira akonga (student leaders) who shared a common passion for making their school community a better place. We were very lucky to hear from two guest speakers – Alyssa Wilson, a World Vision youth and community worker (and former Westlake Girls student), and Andy McMillan, a New Zealand Olympian and ex-captain of the New Zealand Black Fins. Both speakers gave us much insight into their own experiences in leadership, and the ways in which we can apply this knowledge into our own schools.
After a delicious morning tea, there were productive discussions about perfect initiatives and projects. It was great to hear how various prefects were bringing their visions to life at their respective schools, which then gave us the opportunity to share and bounce off each others’ ideas.
Everyone left the afternoon in high spirits, feeling empowered to continue embarking on their own leadership journey. I personally found it inspiring to have been immersed in an environment overflowing with ambition and potential. I have taken away many ideas from the Prefect Conference, including ways we can celebrate diversity across the student body, and activities we can take to encourage student involvement. The House Captains, Dinithi and I are all excited for the upcoming term, and the conference has amplified our aspiration to be approachable role models that lead by example.