SOCIAL CAPTAIN

Being Social Captain this year has been an experience that I will never forget and to be given the opportunity to be a leader at my college is even better. This all started back at the end of 2008 as a lot of rumor and speculation was tossed around about who would be leaders for 2009 ... it all started when my name was called out for social captain. So for me to be called out for that role it was a privilege and to be entrusted with events such as the ball and the dances ... I was honored.

I rolled around into 2009 knowing what Social Captain was all about but not knowing how much work and effort had to go into it for all events to be successful. But with a lot of help from my leadership team and Mr Hart things were made a lot easier and the events some how managed to run smoothly. Early in 2009 I organized the parents and year 13 BBQ - this was a very relaxed evening where the boys and their parents could get to know each other. This was also a big confidence booster for me to know that I could actually run an event without it being a complete disaster. This was also a good way to welcome the boys and their parents back into the school for another great and successful year for their sons.

Shortly after, I found myself organizing the first year 7 and 8 dance. All the boys really enjoyed the dance with the wonderful DJ being our very own Callum Jones. It was also very good to see a big turn out from the Villa girls because they were what pretty much what made up the good 2-1 ratio. It was not just the year 7 and 8 boys that enjoyed the dance as it was also enjoyed by the large number of year 13 boys that were security and were very good bouncers - keeping everyone in line. After this there was persistent pressure to run a year 9 and 10 dance with a lot of the boys always asking when their dance would be while I was trying to organize the ball. But my wishes and theirs were answered when Blue Light decided to run the year 9 and 10 dance at our school and they would put on all the security and get the Police behind it. This was a very successful night seeing a very big turn out from a lot of the secondary schools and to know that the Telethon was coming to film it gave a bigger incentive for the boys to get behind it.

The big event then started to roll around very quickly and was fast approaching - the College Ball. This was the event that took the most time and effort out of me - the pressure was really on me to run another successful ball like last year. With the recession on it was going to be a pretty tough ask to get everyone along. As I have already said the size of the event is by far the biggest thing I have ever had to organize but it was also the most rewarding. Everything ran smoothly and everyone enjoyed themselves with a lot of help from the brilliant band. Thank you so much to Mr Hart for all his guidance, to Mrs Lewis and Mrs Moore for all your patience and help in the office and finally my ball committee for helping set up the Library for the pre-drinks and the Grand Chancellor for the event.

As my last days of Social Captain and my last days of being a year 13 approach I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity not only to be a leader but to have been taught at St Thomas. I am very honored to be the last Social Captain at the College - may the legacy live on. Finally, good luck to the person that has to organize these events next year I know that you will enjoy the experience.

By Lewis Allan