Fergus and Joseph comment ...

College Council Report 2016 – Fergus Sharp

We began the year with a bunch of 17 boys from a range of year groups throughout the school. Right from the start I had a few goals in mind for the council. These included creating a communal area for all students to enjoy at intervals and lunchtimes, implementing and running as many Bruce Challenges as we could and giving all students of the college a voice through their representative on the council.

As with every year we held workday in term one and students went to work for a day to raise revenue for the student council. After workday our focus turned to Bruce challenges while we waited for students to hand in their money.

Bruce challenges got off to a flying start with the traditional and somewhat controversial fizzy drink sculling competition. In past years this has been a single event where one person from each house would scull a 1.25 litre bottle of soft drink but this year to ensure we were involving students from throughout the school I made it a team event where each house had to enter a team of five students including at least two juniors. The event was a success with mightily MC taking the title. We held weekly Bruce challenges after that with events ranging from a rap battle to a lettuce eating competition. Our ultimate goal for Bruce challenges was to involve students from all aspects of the school which we achieved by organising events in sport, culture and academics as well has implementing a junior to senior ratio for all Bruce challenges.

Once we had collected workday money we began looking at suitable projects to undertake which would benefit the student body as a whole. After countless meetings and discussions, we decided to install a weather shade in front of the technology block for students to shelter under on rainy days and at the height of summer. With the shade installed, complete with the school crest printed on to the fabric, we set about looking into other projects to undertake. Eventually we settled on new outdoor tables, new barbeques and paying off the final $5000 payment for the new school van.

All things considered I am immensely proud of the things that we as a student council have achieved in 2016. From the tangible things like the weather shade to the intangible things like the much more vibrant and friendly school culture that we have created as a student council. I can honestly say as a school leaver that I have helped to leave St Thomas’ in a better shape than I found it and without the opportunity of being a college council chairman this would not have been possible.

College Council Report 2016 - Joseph Spijkerman

Overall we have had a very successful year as a student council. This year we aimed to have a higher emphasise on hearing the ideas and opinions of every student council member. 

Trying to make sure that everyone was engaged and getting their voices heard to the fullest extent. This resulted in making our student council stronger and more comfortable in sharing their ideas without a second thought of being judged. 

Through collaborating our ideas this helped us achieve in investing into areas of the school we thought would be most beneficial for the students. I definitely believe that this year’s student council team was full of passionate and engaged members with the ideal goal of improving student life at school.