My role in the community

Preventing fight outbreaks, leading students into the dining area, making sure that student leave the premises safely and orderly, providing support for all teachers in and around school, these are just some of the responsibilities that prefects at Prestwich Arts College have to take on. And I am one of them.

I was told that if I wanted to take on this role in the school; I should write a letter saying why I should be chosen over other students – so I did. I was told the following week at the morning registration; I was told that I was now required to wear a distinct tie and shirt so that others knew that I was a prefect. Also I was given a badge to wear with pride next to the school logo.

You may ask why choose this occupation that will require added work and commitment to the day, when I have one of the most important years of my life a head of me, well its simple, helping others is what I am good at and enjoy – now I don’t normally expect something in return but in this case I am rewarded with an head start to adult life and a better chance of receiving a place at the college I want. What more can I ask for.

The best part of being a prefect is the ...

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The best part of being a prefect is the upper crust. This is a nickname given to the prefect common room. The school provide a hot meal and cold meal service with added hot drinks and a fantastic socialising area where prefects can eat there dinner or just 'chill'. The best part of this is the fact that there is a TV in the room so you can watch the news or listen to the latest track releases on MTV.

Commitment is all in the teachers eyes there for prefects can not be late. Setting the standard is key to maintaining a good reputation for the school there for I as a prefect must obtain immaculate behaviour at all times and look the piece too.

Imagine a school fight broke out. And a crowd was provoking the fight into further dismay; now the obvious thing to do is call a teacher – this is what is required of a normal pupil – but the prefects job is to put him self on the line in an attempt to split the fight up. This can't be done without the correct advice and training so the school had organised a health and safety crew to come in and show us what is the ideal thing to do in a situation like this. Luckily I haven’t been put under this situation before and I hope that I don’t have to. Although I have prevented fights breaking out by clearing away crowds and referring the discomforted students to the office staff so the problem could be solved.

I am very happy to be a prefect at Prestwich Arts College and advise others to become one too; it will give students the required step into adult life and the feeling of responsibility. It's these little things that allow the college to put the student into priority and give you the edge into getting the place you want.

By Hydar Salman