Student Prefects
Head Boy & Head Girl 2018/19 an audience and these skills would help me a lot in later life. Another great experience was having to organise and host the Talent Show with the Head Girl during charity week. It took a lot of creativity recruiting all the candidates and promoting the event to fit into a 1 hour period 7 slot. However, it was worth it and I would argue it was the most packed the Douai Hall has ever been. Interestingly, I also distinctly remember giving several tours to visitors and alumni which I found quite enjoyable as I often heard several stories of what the college used to be like and I love to meet new people.
Reflections on my year as Head Boy If I had to describe what it was like being Head Boy, the first word that springs to mind is rewarding and I would encourage everyone to strive to become a prefect. I was never the most academically gifted and I had my fair share of detentions over the years, so if I could do it so can you. Before applying I saw two main benefits of becoming a prefect: (1) I would be given a platform and access to the senior leadership team where I could discuss ideas and implement change for the benefit of students at the college. And (2) the prefect role would add great value to my personal statement and CV. After completing the 2018-19 academic year as Head Boy I can confidently say these benefits and many more came to fruition. My strongest memory as Head Boy would have to be the speeches. I spoke at open days, on life in Rhetoric, what it was like as prefect, and my personal favourite, at prize giving. All the public speaking helped to develop my confidence and ability to convey a clear message to
Reflecting on my post-Rhetoric life I would say my experiences at the college, especially those relating to being a prefect shaped my future. As a prefect you essentially have a role of responsibility and therefore, you develop your ‘soft skills’ like teamwork and communication. This is because throughout your tenure you will be faced with challenges where you will need to find a quick and efficient solution. For example, a student may drop out of an inter-house competition the day of an event and you will have to go about finding an appropriate replacement. In time, this role of responsibility will craft you into someone who is dependable and in turn, someone who is more desirable in the workplace. From my personal experience I attended several banking and finance related assessment centres in Rhetoric 2 and about 8 out of 10 times the candidates who I thought were very good also happened to be prefects. Coincidence? I think not! Ultimately, I think that there are so many advantages of becoming a prefect and I would definitely recommend striving and apply for the position. Feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn if you have any questions on what it is like as a prefect. Taymen Sargusingh - Head Boy 2018-19
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