1. For what position are you running?
I am running for the position of Junior Prefect in the Prefect Council for the 2012-2013 school year.
2. What makes you feel that you are qualified for the position? Please describe any leadership experiences you’ve had, if applicable.
I am a current member of two debate clubs at H-W, the Junior Statesmen of America Club and the Model UN Club. I have attended many conferences for both of these clubs, in which I have learned to present my points in a debate setting succinctly and coherently to ameliorate any problematic situations as logically as possible. I am also a part of the Youth Advisory Board in southern California, which is in connection with JSA. As a part of the YAB, I represent and advocate the ideas that would benefit youth by having regular meetings with my congressional district representative to promote all ideas that would benefit children and teens in southern California.
In addition, it’s in my nature to approach everything I’m passionate about with great responsibility and effort. For example, I have run on both the cross country and track & field teams for Harvard-Westlake since I came to this school in 9th grade and have always worked hard to improve my race times. I feel very passionate about running, and thus I put a lot of effort into succeeding in both sports. Likewise, I feel very passionate about this school and thus know that I will approach all my duties as Junior Prefect responsibly and will work rigorously to help our community flourish.
3. How do you feel about the Honor Board and what has led you to feel this way?
Though it may, at first glance, be mistakenly seen as an ominous, omnipresent group that eagerly waits for someone to do the slightest wrong, I know that it isn’t at all like that and understand the purpose of and genuinely respect the Honor Board’s presence in our community. The Honor Board is a great, special opportunity for everyone in the Harvard-Westlake community to have a fair justice system for students who have committed an infraction. In the Honor Board, students, teachers, deans, and the administration work together to create a just ruling for both the school and the student. The Honor Board provides the student with a unique opportunity to have a say in an impartial court of people that truly want the best for everyone. Most importantly, the Honor Board maintains the high moral standard within the Harvard-Westlake community for which the school has become distinguished, which is one of the main reasons why I love this school.
4. Please describe one thing in Harvard-Westlake’s community you would change. Also, how would you use the influence of the position of Junior/Senior Prefect to change our community?
One of the things I would like to change about this community is that I would have more special assemblies in which interesting, provocative presentations would take place. I would strongly support many more assemblies with presentations like the assemblies of this year in which the acclaimed biologist and ecologist Dr. Russell Mittermeier spoke to us or in which we saw a fantastically choreographed dance in honor of Black History Month. These special assemblies would definitely enrich the Harvard-Westlake community with knowledgeable, creative, and exciting presentations. As Junior Prefect, I would encourage my fellow prefects to support the idea of having more frequent special assembles throughout the 2012-2013 school year.
