Page 22 - Demo

Head Prefect Farewell
Part of the journey is the end. While this year has had no shortage of challenges, they only served as a catalyst for further progress and growth among both the SIS community and among the team. These challenges helped mould us into better individuals, encouraging us to establish new networks and novel initiatives. In that sense, this year has truly been an unprecedented one.
Yet all this would not have been possible without the people who have been by our side all along. We would especially like to thank Mr Gardner, Ms Purves and Mrs. Chapman for their extraordinary support during these tough times - Mrs. Chapman, for sticking through with us even to the last days of her time at SIS. Mr. Gardner, for his iconic dedication and relentless support of our initiatives, and Ms Purves, who has already made such a positive difference to both us and the school community.
The “Mega Council” and BeStrong
One key success for this year was the establishment of the “Mega Council” where the Head Prefect team engaged with the heads of all student-led councils on a bi-weekly basis to discuss ways to assist each other’s initiatives and identify areas of synergy and cooperation. Permeated with humor and energy, it has been significant in ensuring an active, vibrant student leadership community and in the execution of this year’s trailblazing Head Prefect-initiated BeStrong program at South Island.
This year, South Island School has become the first school in Hong Kong to join the Student Rep Program of BeStrong, a US national nonprofit aimed at promoting students supporting each other’s well being. Not only has this helped re-affirm and establish student well-being as an utmost priority at SIS, but it also enabled us to establish meaningful relationships with other elements of the student body while ensuring well-being is integrated through school life and beyond.
A favourite moment from each of us
Nicholas: “Everything except learning how to dance for assemblies”.
Vereta: “Getting called out for my puns by Mr Vignoles in front of the whole school”.
Karina: “Running the prefect training workshops with the Y12s”.
Matteo Marchi: “Everything except being asked to sing a song I never heard before in front of the whole school”. Nell: “Everything except teaching the boy head prefects how to dance”.
Andre: “Advising the Year 12s on Higher Education and how to be a part of school leadership”.
Jessica: “Beating Matteo in the Family Bauhinia game show”.
Matteo Avitable: “Everything including learning how to dance from Nell”.
To the Bauhinia Family
One of our goals this year was to build upon the work of last year’s Family Bauhinia and make an even greater difference in the lives of students joining us. With the consistent help of Ms Andrews, Mr Thums and Ms Butcher, we have been able to strengthen the well-being of younger students, by encouraging a feeling of unity and community, especially given the circumstances we faced this year. We hope to have eased the transition from primary school to secondary school and hope that each and every student has been welcomed with open arms. Throughout the year, we have organised and been a part of incredibly entertaining and exciting events and developed a reliable relationship between Family Bauhinia, the Bauhinia prefects and the entire school. To next year’s Family Bauhinia, we wish you luck and we hope that you will enjoy and continue playing your part in such a rewarding, fulfilling and amazing role. Finally, a big thank YOU to the Y7s and Y8s for always reminding us how to have fun. We will miss you!
To the Current Prefects
Trust us, we know that properly fulfilling the role of prefect and Head Prefect at SIS is not an easy task, and that’s been true for the generations of Head Prefects and Prefects. However, it will undoubtedly be an experience that you will look back and remember with a fond smile. It isn’t just a label or something to shove into your CV - it is a year-long process of rigorous leadership training while giving you the best opportunity possible to give back to the school that has moulded you all into the capable role models you are. Do it right - do it with compassion, responsibility, and commitment, and helping others will truly help you grow as a person as well.
Farewell
We cannot even begin to put into words our immense gratitude to all the students, teachers, parents and staff that have nurtured us and guided us along the way, not only this year as head prefects, but throughout our time at South Island. We have truly put our heart and soul into this school, and as we pursue our individual paths we will all take a piece of South Island with us. We have always looked ahead eagerly wanting to grow up and now, we can say with a bitter-sweet smile that we have. But what made this journey so sweet, was having the privilege of growing up with you all. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you South Island.
22 School Report