ST PETER’S COLLEGE 2017
It was observed by facilitators that the preferred style of leadership is one whereby power is decentralised. The students tend to favour a more collaborative leadership approach. During the tour, each leader was set up to succeed by their team mates and this aptly describes a tenet of Ubuntu that we live by at St Peter’s College.
ODELLE HOWARD Deputy Head: Student Affairs
The Generation Z is described as the people who were born from 1995 onwards. It is this generation that makes up the population of our student body. They have never known a world where there are no devices and are always switched onto technology. Terrorism and global recessions are an international norm. This is a generation that is not bound by traditions and old-fashioned beliefs. They get us to challenge the status quo and would rather be co-creators of the culture in which they reside.
Student Affairs REPORT 48
We see aspects of the Generation Z character in everything they participate in. One of their many characteristics is their desire to do good and their deep sense for social responsibility. Evidence of this characteristic is seen in our Grade 11 Build Project at Kwasa College. We are very proud of our Grade 11s who have raised funds to assist Kwasa College in acquiring a hall this year. They are also assisting in establishing a garden at Kwasa College. Social Responsibility commitments were also seen in the Grade 10 Sandwich Drive whereby students came together to make sandwiches for poorer communities. There are many students from Grade 8 to 10 participating in other charity events found on the Community Hours SA website. We are impressed by all our students who make a difference. Another one of Generation Z characteristics is their spirit for adventure and the need to create new opportunities. This has resulted in the World Challenge never being short in supply of students who volunteer to participate in this journey. World Challenge took students to Vietnam this year where they completed community outreach projects and had an opportunity to lead their groups in unfamiliar surroundings.
The Wellness Department have seen an increase in the number of students who have communicated a desire to understand each other better and to get in touch with their inner identities. The desire for personal growth and understanding is another characteristic of Generation Z. Many of our students view an acquisition of EQ as paramount for success in their social interactions. They value the skills in how to handle challenging situations or know how to act appropriately in different situations. This need is being met with the introduction of the Intentional Living Programme in 2018 for all Grade 8 to 11 students. The programme is designed to assist students to live purposeful, self-regulated lives and to strive for personal excellence. The introduction of leadership and mentorship workshops provided the Grade 12s with the necessary skills to mentor our Grade 8 students this year. Our Grade 8s have been fortunate to have an older “sibling” looking out for them in an unfamiliar environment and to assist them in navigating their way through high school. A final characteristic of this generation is their intolerance for exclusivity. They are wildly passionate about equity and diversity they want to make a difference and have their say. Our Student Link platform allows students to voice their point of view. The College has taken further steps in creating a Student Diversity Committee that will be chaired by the Headboy and Headgirl next year. We look forward to understanding diversity from the perspective of this generation. Generation Z is an exciting generation and live in interesting times. They are the first generation who has the freedom to express themselves fully are independent and are unrestricted in their thinking. This generation are brand influencers, are the leaders in pop culture and are social media drivers. It is exciting to let our imagination wonder what inventions they will create. They have the ability to produce a world that sci-fi movies are made of and carry our hopes for a better society. Mrs Odelle Howard Deputy Head: Student Affairs