Jeremy SC Interview: Is the new president worth his salt?
With every year comes a new group of student leaders, and as of 2017, following an impressive Student Leaders Investiture, the honour of leading the school has been passed to a group of Year 5s now known as the 39th Cabinet Council, led by Jeremy Koh of 5R. Don’t let his campaign slogan “Koh Blooded” fool you - Jeremy’s heart burns with a passion to serve the school as its new student leader. However, such a prestigious position at the top of the student body is bound to come with a fair share of challenges.
Jeremy, a proud member of NCC and former member of the Junior Student Council, tells of how he has always been close to the Council, and his impression of the Cabinet Council before and after he took up a position in it has not changed much as a result. Planning projects such as SISLAC and Y.Lead and serving the familiar council in general gives the President a warm feeling, a good sign of the Council being a close-knit group of friends who can be effective together. At the same time, however, Jeremy’s unfamiliarity with the Council lies in the future, and the types of adversities and things that pop up along the way. There is little doubt that holding the position of President comes with stress, but those stresses may not be immediately evident to others. A different position from his former one in the Junior Cabinet Council encompasses different kinds of stress, as he is not always sure if what he does is right, and, in his new position, has even more expectations than before to uphold.
So far, Jeremy is known for being a leader excelling in the “fun” department, being more active, more vibrant, “more ‘garang’ for lack of a better word” in the eyes of the student body. On the other hand, some may have their doubts about this side of the new President, deeming his behaviour unbecoming of a leader, lacking the seriousness and confidence that his predecessors showed. When asked about the kind of image he wishes to give others, though, Jeremy stands by being a “fun” person, but has his reasons. While conceding that maintaining the good image of the student body formally to meet others’ expectations of a school leader is necessary, he explains that “the unique part about being a school president is that we’re young people. We are people that should be filled with energy.” With whatever impact his impression can give, Jeremy hopes to give others positive energy, “and probably light up a few smiles on their faces, getting people to be a bit more active.”
The new Student Council, according to Jeremy, intends to take advantage of other happenings and national movements to push for its own exciting and fresh initiatives. Instead of simply accepting the removal of Fried Food Friday and moving on, the opportunistic Jeremy intends to push for “a more active RV”, teasing a project the Student Council and teachers have in the works without divulging any details. New initiatives from the Student Council include the more recent Mother’s Day initiatives, and in the pipeline are a renewal of the blazer loaning system and a more exciting TGIF, which students can be excited about, upon their return when the next school term comes around.
And what does the Student Council wish to achieve? Apart from simply looking out for the student body, Jeremy also hopes that his team of 19 councilors will learn something in the admittedly tough journey of being student leaders. In braving this tough journey, Jeremy hopes that students can empathize with the difficulties of the Student Council, and eventually help in the form of providing feedback and volunteering their services. Finally, harkening back to the image of himself Jeremy wants to portray, he wishes to leave a legacy of fun and positivity, to portray the student leaders as not just leaders but students in their own right, who have extra work but continue to have fun serving the school.
“Fun. Some people might like it, some people might not, but hopefully people are willing to approach it and try, and give feedback after. Without the active participation of the student body, there will be no progress.”
The new, vibrant Cabinet Council is one with a vision for the school, one the student body can trust to perform, and one for all of us to give a chance, and to look forward to.
