By Belinda Nolan
FOR 17-year-old Rachel Micallef being a role model for fellow students is its own reward.
The Kealba secondary student has been an active member of the school community since she joined it four years ago.
The Year 11 student is part of the school’s senior leadership team, a student body that meets at lunchtime to discuss and plan activities for fellow students.
Rachel likes to think of herself as a voice for her classmates, liaising with teachers and parents to give them an active say in school matters.
“I find a lot of the students don’t find it hard to come and talk to me,” she says. “If they’ve got a question about what’s going on around the school they come and ask me.
“If they want to do something, I try and organise it for them and get them involved in school activities.”
The proactive student was recently recognised for her outstanding leadership qualities, when she was awarded a Merlyn Myer Role Model Award.
While she admits juggling her extracurricular activities with her school work and part-time supermarket job can be a challenge, it is one she takes in her stride.
Needless to say, she is an expert at time management.
“I guess I like being kept busy. It’s just something extra to do,” she said.
Rachel said she so enjoyed being part of the school community she planned to stay involved even after she graduated.
Seeing the joy in students’ faces was the most rewarding part of being a young leader, she said.
“When we organise an activity for the students, I love seeing their reaction,” Rachel said.
“A lot of kids get really enthusiastic about it and it’s good to see that something I’m doing is getting put back into the school and making the students happy and want to come to school, looking forward to something that’s going to happen.”
Rachel plans to study forensic psychology after she finishes high school.
