OTHC Head Prefects 2024

The College’s Head Prefects were announced recently with great excitement over the choice of Fatemah Karimi and Levi Shuker as our preferred student leaders. Their announcement as Head Girl and Head Boy was followed by a resounding haka performed by the college’s senior students. “At One Tree Hill College we have so many young people that have strong leadership characteristics. We begin nurturing this talent from Year 9 with our Junior Leadership Programme. This year, our two Head Prefects are outstanding leaders who have already had considerable impact across the college. It is an exciting year ahead for Fatemeh and Levi, as they lead the student body and represent our school at a number of significant events,” commented Principal Mr Coughlan. Reflecting on her achievement, Fatemeh shared a moment of overwhelming emotion as her name was announced. “Excitement bubbled up first, then a thrill at the responsibility as well as the opportunity entrusted to me,” she recalls. Similarly, Levi expressed profound gratitude and joy at his appointment, recounting this moment of pride was shared with his family during the assembly. He said, “I was crying the whole time from the moment my whānau walked into the auditorium, till after I had recited our school prayer to our senior school. I felt a moment of pride in myself, which was followed by many queries about the role I was about to play.” Looking ahead, Fatemeh and Levi outline ambitious goals aimed at enriching the school experience for their peers. Fatemeh said, “My main goal as Head Girl is to foster a positive and inclusive school environment where all students feel valued and supported in their academic or personal pursuits. I will also strive to promote academic excellence, student well-being, and getting involved in our community more often. I want to leave a positive and lasting impact on the school community during my time as the Head Girl at OTHC.”

Levi wants to focus on addressing critical issues surrounding well-being, particularly mental health. He added, “I would like to do this because there are many people that struggle when opening up about personal matters to adults, they can find it rather intimidating. So, I’d like to have an option for students to be able to consult with someone of their age who acts as an official counsellor.” Both head students are determined to make prefects more accessible to the student body. “I want to push the fact that all prefects are still your regular students, and to enhance approachability and accessibility to ensure all students feel comfortable seeking assistance,” added Levi. Fatemeh said that she wanted to promote kindness campaigns and more importantly anti-bullying awareness to foster a positive and inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported in their academic and personal endeavours. These reflections reflect the depth of commitment and dedication our two student leaders will bring to their roles as head students. We wish them well in their endeavours.

NILA VIMALENTHIRAN & SITI KAMAL - NEWS MEDIA TEAM