Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year —  a year that brings with it a unique opportunity for growth and change.

While physical construction is taking place on and around our campus, we too can do our part to build and shape Harvard-Westlake. Whether this is through establishing new clubs, creating legendary events or promoting technological advances, we have the chance to make a lasting impression.

We are excited that this year Prefect Council will have a permanent presence on the Faculty Academic Comittee, which will allow us to maintain a continuous dialogue between faculty members, administrators and students.

While we have myriad ideas to improve the student academic experience, we want to hear what you think. At the core, we are a council meant to represent you, and that is what we intend to do.

However, our goals are not simply focused on the academic realm, but also on the social life of the school. We want to find new and different ways to come together beyond the classroom and our success in accomplishing this is contingent upon our collective participation as a student community. Student initiative is paramount and our job as a council will be to help bring your creativity and innovation to fruition. We can’t do this alone, though, and urge you to remain in constant communication with your class representatives.

Sophomores—take advantage of the numerous resources Harvard-Westlake has to offer. Upper classmen—follow through on those exciting projects you began years ago but have yet to finish.

This is a time for all of us to try something different, to think outside the box. This is a time for all of us to work together to create a legacy that will impact future Harvard-Westlake classes for years to come.

— Rishi Bagrodia ‘12 and Brooke Levin ’12, Head Prefects