Principal’s Speech for the 8th Student Council Investiture
Setting a Shining Example
Councillors waiting to be appointed officially, guests, staff, AMKsians, ladies and gentlemen, Good afternoon.
Today’s ceremony marks the appointment of new Student Councilors as well as the re-appointments for others.
All Student Councillors are handpicked by their schoolmates and teachers. First-time Student Councillors have to undergo a rigorous selection process. They have to be identified, interviewed, and put through a series of situational tests before been confirmed in their appointment. Thus this occasion is an important one for the school as we install the crème de la crème of our Student Leaders. We have high hopes for you because you are among the best AMKsians. You must carry out your responsibilities with a strong sense of pride. Our expectations of Student Councillors are high. Through you, we want to set a high standard for all other AMKsians to emulate.
Students Councillors in our school take charge of important school events and activities such as the Sec 1 Orientation Camp, the Teachers’ Day celebration and the Graduation Ball for graduating AMKsians, to name a few of them. They also support other school activities such as the Awards Nite, the AMKsian Showcase and the Sec 1 Registration.
Student Councillors are also often called upon to be ambassadors of the school. When they perform this role, they always impress parents and guests with their confidence, their good manner, the way they speak and the knowledge and love they have for Ang Mo Kio Secondary School.
Last year, I spoke about how leaders can exercise their initiative to improve the way they lead their life.
This afternoon, it gives me the pleasure to touch briefly on 3 things that this group of Student Councillors did as a result of their initiative and thinking differently.
A group of Student Councillors was involved in the School Improvement Team to work on the Habits of Mind Pillars. The painting was completed in Mar this year and today we are constantly reminded to use these habits as we walked into the school, through the foyer, past the Wall of Fame on our way to the classroom blocks. In the process of working on the project, the Councillors were also brought closer together. Their friendship that they built up will stay with them long after they graduate from the school.
Another group initiated a symbolic gesture to encourage staff and AMKsians to congratulate Singapore for clinching the right to host the inaugural Youth Olympics Games. They did this by getting the school to sign on pillars covered with plastic sheet to congratulate Singapore. This initiative allowed the school to
Join in the celebration and is particularly special and meaningful as the previous batches of student Councillors did not take their initiative this far.
Finally, the Pupil Welfare committee regularly collects feedbacks from the AMKsians on the areas of improvement to make in school. They analysed the feedback and implemented the feasible ones. This brought the student council closer to our schoolmates.
To the outgoing Councillors under the leadership of President Hong ShaoTong and Yap Li Yu Vice President, both of whom are from class 45, please accept our heartfelt thank you for the wonderful work that you did together with the others councillors.
Councillors are Student Leaders. I have a piece of advice for the incoming Councillors. My advice complements Mr Siva's message to the student leadership body when you met him for the Student Leaders Dialogue session in the library on 1 April. Hence I have given the title Setting a Shining Example to my speech today.
Setting a Shining Example
We have been told over and over again how vitally important it is to conduct ourselves with dignity. Regardless of whether we are at home, school, or play, our actions and our statements says a great deal about us as a person.
As leaders, you must be even more mindful of your conduct. You can think of yourself being put in the limelight or under a microscope. Your followers are looking at you and they are likely to do what you say and do and not what you say only. Your teachers and your peers also expect more from you.
Hence as a student leader, you must lead the type of student life that you desire in your followers. That is why Mr Siva told you that the school expects al our Student Leaders to have excellent conduct and to do well in their studies. When you take your conduct, academic and non-academic performances seriously, you are on your way to becoming an outstanding AMKsians. You will serve as a role model to all AMKsians and inspire them to be just like you - an outstanding AMKsian.
So leadership is not a right, not a privilege but a responsibility given to those who are able and willing and it comes with expectations and accountability.
I have noticed a change in the behaviour of some student leaders. Once they are appointed, accumulated some experience and gained a track record of accomplishments, some leaders become sloppy, begin to take things easy and forget about the disciplined and hardworking lifestyle that make them different, got them noticed and subsequently appointed as leaders.
As leaders, we must constantly set a good example for our followers and peers. It has been shown that people pay more attention to what their leaders say and do. When you set a good example in your Council work, CCA and in your class and lead your people well, you help to create a positive working environment and bring out the best from the team as well.
As a Student Leader in Ang Mo Kio Secondary School, you set a good example by applying the teaching contained in the Student Leadership Compass. It is anchored on our school’s RIC3H values and gives you good ideas of what you can do to be a good leader.
Does obeying the Student Leadership Compass mean you make a conscious effort each time to watch what you say and do in front of others in order to set an appropriate example? For a start, you will probably have to do this but if you have to watch your actions and your words even after some time, it means that have not internalized the school's RIC3H values and the Leadership Compass. It means you have some work to do on the inside first.
You can become a positive role model on the outside only after you have internalized a positive role model for yourself on the inside first. You'll discover that when you consistently send out a strong, positive, honest message through your actions and your words, you will never again have to be concerned about the example you are setting for others.
So what must you do before setting a good example for yourself and those around become second nature to you?
A leader must first acquire the habit of setting high standards of excellence for his or her actions and conduct. As the leader sets a high personal standard, he or she leads by example and will be able to convince others to do their best to work towards higher goals.
A leader must always know the difference between right and wrong and never, ever crosses the line. He or she is transparent and consistent and never compromise his or her integrity, not even for a moment.
Most of all, leaders must willingly accept total responsibility for who they are and what they do. This means they do not make excuses for their conduct and their performance.
When we constantly work on improving ourselves on the inside first, we can be proud of what we look like to others.
To sum up, my advice to all Councillors present this afternoon is Leaders must be Examples and not Exceptions.
Have an enjoyable afternoon and a fruitful and fulfilling leadership journey in the months ahead working with Jeremy and Kyaw Win Shwe.
Thank you.
