Ensuring school spirit and peer interaction continue to flourish at ACG School Jakarta, our STUCO prefects have led and coordinated numerous school-wide events this year, both online and on campus. The highly-motivated Year 12 representatives have been exercising their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills to develop unique and innovative digital activities and initiatives for their fellow students to enjoy.
We've asked them to reflect on the work they have done and discuss the lessons they have learnt while helping to entertain, connect and engage the ACG community. Prefect Lidia Napitupulu shares her thoughts on the importance – and the satisfaction – of being part of the STUCO team.
The STUCO has prioritised creating activities and events for the entire school this year. Why do you feel it is so important to get all students involved?
Participating in school events is essential. When students are involved, they have the capacity to collaborate with their peers, fostering teamwork and group abilities. In addition, when students participate, they acquire a sense of creativity and motivation, which encourages them to become more self-reliant and innovative and grow in confidence and independence.
Are these STUCO events purely student-led and organised?
Yes. We make a collective decision about which activities to promote, and each member of the student council is asked for their ideas for upcoming events. We discuss the choices, decide what we want to accomplish, and then vote on the options each member had outlined to determine what we should do next.
We then begin planning and brainstorming to determine what activities we should include and all the crucial issues we must consider. Following that, we divide ourselves into three groups, one for organisation, one for communication, and one for design. From there, we focus on our assigned tasks and collaborate to achieve the greatest possible outcome.
The recent "Let's Get Trivial" event with games, quizzes, and competitions has been your most recent success. What have you enjoyed most about leading and coordinating these events?
One of my favourite aspects of managing these school-wide events is all the new people I've been able to meet. It's been quite difficult to communicate with people outside of my friend group or year group during the pandemic, and being a part of STUCO gave me a great opportunity to do so.
I'm also really proud that we have built such a strong STUCO team. There were some challenges at first, but as we learned each other's likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses, we were able to come up with more innovative ideas and efficient processes to increase our success and improve communication.
What are the most important lessons you have learnt from helping to organise these events?
Undoubtedly the importance of organisation. That may sound like a cliché, but it is extremely crucial. The STUCO teaches you to be organised, take on responsibility, and learn from your mistakes. Things will not be successful if we do not manage our time well, focus on what we need to achieve and collaborate.
What advice do you have for future students looking to participate in STUCO?
Go for it. STUCO gives you the chance to meet new people, take the initiative, and develop a sense of responsibility. And you also need to be prepared. It is incredibly beneficial when students interact during these meetings since it allows us to work more quickly and produce a better final product. But it's always better to have your thoughts in order, so you know exactly what you want to share.
What else can we expect to see from STUCO for the remainder of the year?
We are now planning our next event, where we'll raise money and donations for charities and good causes. More will follow soon, so stay tuned and look forward to what we have planned till the end of the school year!