STUDENT LEADERSHIPIN

DUNSHAUGHLIN COMMUNITY

COLLEGE

“ True leaders don’t create followers …..…..they create new leaders ! ”

Student Leadership Opportunities in D.C.C.

Student Leadership opportunities in our school are now formally categorised into three areas: 

Student Council  Peer Mentors

Senior PrefectsWe are guided and supported by The Student Leadership team, which includes Ms Bennett, Ms Clarke and Ms Nic an Rí, and we work closely with school Management and the staff of the college.

Role of the Student Council Our core team consists of over thirty students from all year groups,

but predominately junior students. We meet on a weekly basis with our liaison teacher Ms Nic an Rí to plan our activities.

Our primary aim is to endeavour to improve the daily lives of students in the spirit of co-operative partnership with school Management.

We provide a forum for students to highlight issues of concern, and to achieve greater unity by seeking acceptable solutions together.

We strengthen our relationship with the local community, by fundraising for worthy causes, both local and international.

 

We have reviewed various school policies, and we attend the Meath Comhairle na nÓg annual general meeting where we meet the local politicians

Some of our activities have included a 'Cover the Crest' Campaign Coin Collection in aid of Special Olympics Ireland. We raised hundreds of euro for this worthy cause.

A cake sale was organised for a Belarus orphanage, and we raised enough money to purchase 14 new beds for orphaned children.

We held an “Ice Cream for India' day, to support one of our students, Johanna Von Kietzell, as she was fundraising to go to volunteer with the Hope Foundation, teaching the violin to the children in an orphanage.

Each Christmas, we organise a food collection for St. Vincent De Paul. The response is always fantastic! This year we collected over 1000 items of food for donation to local families. We also assisted the Parent's Association in a clothes collection for S.V.P. Over 1.6 tons clothes were collected in total !

One of our aims for the year ahead is to campaign for more outdoor seating benches, and to get the table tennis tables Mr. Foley has promised us !

Role of the Peer Mentor To support and befriend a younger student. To ease the transition between primary and secondary education,

by working with 1st Year students during their induction days. To meet each 1st Year student on a regular basis throughout the

academic year. To teach new students acceptable standards of behaviour,

attitude and uniform through positive peer example. Ongoing encouragement, motivation and support is provided by

our Mentor Ms Clarke.

Role of the Senior Prefect This is an exciting opportunity to play a pivotal role in the development

of this new initiative in the college. It is our hope that through the introduction of this Senior Prefect system, we will greatly enhance school life, by displaying positive leadership to all.

We will support teachers in a supervisory capacity.

We will work alongside staff, giving practical help with the running of the school

We will liaise with the Student Council.

We will represent the school at public events.

Leadership Training A group of thirty seven newly elected Peer Mentors and Senior

Prefects recently took part in an excellent leadership training session. 

The session was delivered by Mr. Ray Langan from "The Super Generation". As a trainer with "The Super Generation", Ray is committed to helping and supporting young people to achieve their potential as leaders of their peers.

The seminar was highly interactive, educational and motivational. Without doubt it was both reflective and inspiring, and we participated fully, and really enjoyed the experience!

It is fantastic that we, as students of D.C.C, are being facilitated with these various opportunities, to step up to additional levels of responsibility and leadership within the school.  We hope that we can channel our energy and enthusiasm to enhance school life, as we represent our fellow students and become ambassadors for our school !