Students and parents, meet Mia Faulkner: A driven Year 13 student who is one of Nayland College’s new student leaders for 2019.

Although her newfound role has only just begun, Mia seems to be revelling in it already.

“I have enjoyed working with the other student leaders and getting more involved about what is happening within the school and how we’re portraying stuff to other people... I wanted to have the opportunity to be a good leader in school - genuinely kind and nice to people and [to] do things around the school,” Mia said.

Mia’s involvement in leadership within school is not confined to Nayland College. She was a house captain at intermediate and has also been a leader at primary school too.

A goal that Mia says she and her fellow student leaders are aiming to achieve this year is to be organised as well as a fun influence around the school.

Mia confesses to being “a bit overcommitted” this year, with being a cottage contact, going on sports trips, helping to lead the Drama Company, being a part of the school production and environmental club NEST, along with her position as student leader. Last year, she also went on a trip to Melbourne, Australia with the choir.

“My friends at other schools never really had the opportunity to do some of the things I’ve done, even though we’re into the same things... I really like the wide range of opportunities at Nayland,” she said.

In her spare time, Mia loves hanging out with people, tramping and playing sport. Music is something she is interested in too.

Next year, when Mia leaves school, she is going to Australia for four months to a Discipleship Training School (DTS) and then on a medical ship to islands in Papua New Guinea for two months to do medical work there. As if she isn’t going to be busy enough, when she returns to New Zealand, she is planning on doing some nursing.

Mia’s advice for budding student leaders and all students really, is “just go for it. Do what you want to do at school, don’t be like ‘no one else is doing that so I’m not going to do it.’ The more you give in to having fun at school, the more fun you’re going to get for yourself out of it.”

Wise advice from a girl who has certainly had fun and made the most of her time here at Nayland College.