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Head Girl with heart

Her role as a student leader has been an intensely rewarding and enriching experience for Co-Head Girl Rebecca Balanescu. Grateful for the opportunity to give back to a school she loves, the highly motivated teen has been reflecting on the memories and highlights of her time at ACG as she looks toward an exciting future.

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ACG School Jakarta's Mental Health Awareness Week has been a calendar highlight for Co-Head Girl Rebecca Balanescu.

With her sights set on studying psychology at university and eventually becoming a psychotherapist, spreading awareness about the importance of mental health is something extremely close to her heart.

"Working with Student Council members this year to organise events has offered me the opportunity to become more proactive in the community, and my favourite event so far has definitely been Mental Health Awareness Week," says Rebecca.

"Every day of that week was dedicated to open and honest conversations with the student body about their personal struggles, fears and uncertainties. Being Co-Head Girl helped me better express my compassion and support for my peers both in their academic and personal journeys, while exercises such as anonymous advice sessions and peer counselling brought all of us closer together."

Contributing to the ACG school community in such a meaningful way has been a great honour for the empathetic 18-year-old, who has embraced the responsibilities of leadership ever since joining the school two years ago.

"Last academic year, I was a Prefect, which guided me into my Head Girl responsibilities. I was proud to represent ACG in a psychology internship and in the THIMUN (The Hague International Model United Nations online conference), which taught me how to influence change in my local and greater community. Joining the Inspired leadership community has greatly improved my critical thinking skills and enabled me to practice integrity and compassion – attributes that I am constantly trying to develop.

"These leadership roles have also taught me how to be communicative and collaborative, and they've improved my time management and organisational skills. Not only that, but I've learnt how to organise events that have a genuine impact on the community and make a real difference. Observing everyone's dedication and genuine love and care for ACG inspires me every day to be a more hardworking and loyal member of the school community. ACG constantly pushes me to want to become a better version of myself, which I will always be grateful for."

With just a few more months of the academic year remaining, Rebecca is firmly focused on making the most of every moment and doing everything she can to enhance life for ACG School Jakarta students.

"While there are many things I would still like to achieve during my tenure as Co-Head Girl, I'm particularly looking forward to those of a representative nature as well as organising the end of year event for all members of the community. Of course, I'll continue to participate in the Assembly and Yearbook Team, which I hope will benefit the whole community. And I'll keep promoting the school's vision to develop a community that respects work, society, culture and nature."

Environmental issues have become an important part of Rebecca's focus during her time living in Indonesia. She's a passionate member of the Eco Warriors Team (a group committed to making the school campus more sustainable and eco-friendly). Her environmental awareness has also been boosted through her work with the Inspired Global Student Leadership Committee (which sees students raise awareness and create an impact on topics like human rights, the environment, entrepreneurship, and health and wellbeing).

Rebecca's two years at ACG School Jakarta have been pivotal in shaping the person she has become, and her experiences at the school will remain firmly etched in her memory for many years to come. Furthermore, she hopes that the school's younger students will gain as much during their time there as she has.

"I would encourage all students to make the most of their time at ACG by getting involved in extracurricular activities and stepping out of their comfort zones. Challenging myself in situations that made me feel uncomfortable played such a big part in my personal growth."

And while she admits that the pressures of academia can sometimes prove challenging, she says ACG School Jakarta students have all the support they need to thrive.

"Don't despair when everything seems to accumulate at once because with the help and understanding of the school community – and with good time management – many seemingly impossible things become possible."