Markham College strives to develop responsible leaders. For this reason, we offer our students opportunities to take up responsibility roles.
The team of leaders supports carrying out important tasks that contribute to the College’s community.
A team of 4 senior students are chosen every year and tasked with leading the student body through multiple campaigns and activities, including their active participation in the Board of Directors of the College. They are also expected to be an example of behaviour, as well as in academic and extracurricular activities.
In 2021, Rodrigo, Florencia, Micaela and Juan Diego made up the Markham Prefects’ Team, facing a real challenge to bring the school community together online. A difficult enough task for any adult, but a particularly tough challenge for a group of busy students who represent the entire student body.
We asked this extraordinary group of students about their experience and what drove them to apply for these positions and, more importantly, what it has taught them. Below are their thoughts and insights into how they have tackled this unique opportunity.
Why did you want to become a School Captain?
Dedicating one year of my life to helping a community that I love and cherish is the best service experience I can imagine. On top of that, envisioning the changes, however big or small they are, which benefit the school in any way marked my devotion to becoming a school captain.
I wanted to be able to turn ideas into tangible projects and initiatives as well as project students' voices.
How would you explain to someone outside Markham what a School Captain is?
A role of responsibility that entails commitment and, above all, love for your institution and peers, in which you lead a large group of equally enthusiastic students that also undertake essential roles of responsibility at school. You are in charge of leading this group towards a beneficial direction for Markham with a holistic approach.
What are the main responsibilities of a School Captain?
The tasks are varied and can change year on year, but they include:
- Looking out for everyone in our team, addressing their needs, doubts and suggestions.
- Putting forward different ideas and initiatives to help all the students at school.
- Being the link between students and institutional leaders, including the Headmaster and the school’s board members.
- Communicating with diverse groups of students to help Markham become a better place.
What have you learned through this experience?
We’ve learned to adapt and be resilient. It is necessary to understand that a post like the one we hold requires flexibility and open-mindedness; not everything goes according to plan.
Also, we’ve learned that working together, as a team, will not only help us accomplish our goals, but surpass them. Trust within the team and being able to delegate is essential.
Being School Captains and Deputy School Captains we’ve also become much more aware of the numerous student initiatives and ideas that are taking place.
What are your goals for this year, as School Captains? What are you trying to achieve?
Empowering the student body. Through distinct methods and initiatives, we are trying to build a sense of empowerment throughout the Markham community. Everyone has the potential to do something exceptional in whatever they purpose themselves to do; from joining a virtual sports team to crafting one’s service project, everyone is capable of it.
Do you have a campaign? Can you explain it?
This year we (the whole Prefects team) decided to not “launch” a campaign. Not that we do not have a direction that we want to follow - our mission is student empowerment - but instead, we think that labelling and marketing something as a ‘campaign’ is detrimental to the spontaneity and closeness of the team to the rest of the student body.
We want to communicate that there is no need to build, let alone ‘launch’ something like a campaign to do school projects.
Instead, we are carrying out smaller projects which will help us achieve our goal - student empowerment. For example, the Initiatives Committee goal is to serve as a support for students to make their ideas become a reality.
What is your favourite part of this role?
Knowing that you are helping and motivating students in every way possible.
What would you say to other schools, about providing this kind of opportunity to their students?
Leadership is an important skill. In order to be a leader, you must be able to listen to others, delegate and show commitment. All of which are key for life. Having opportunities such as this allows students to develop these skills and grow as individuals.
These types of opportunities also provide younger students with positive role models.
