Jack Swanston: Lisa Scott & High School's Senior Pupils

At last week's meeting, Hawick Rotarians were pleased to welcome the High School's Head Boy Jack Chelley and Head Girl Lily Towers, accompanied by Depute Headteacher Lisa Scott.

Doing a double act, Jack and Lily gave a most interesting talk, outlining the procedures and voting by teachers and pupils, by which they were selected to be head pupils, expressing their pride in the rôle and noting also the responsibilities involved.

Both are keen on sports, Jack's rugby taking him on to a tour of Japan with a Schools of Rugby Under 16's squad, then a visit to the Scottish Parliament after coming home. Lily's sport is hockey, playing for the school and also Fjordhus Reivers with a hockey trip to Amsterdam with the school still to come at the end of the session.

They both felt that their involvement in sport had helped their leadership and communication skills in their duties as part of the Leadership Team.

Since August, they have been busy representing all of the High School pupils in their meetings with the school's Headteacher.

They lead a team of Prefects who have the responsibility for patrolling the playground at lunch and break times, which helps to pick up issues and problems around the school and helps the teachers with some of the children who have caused problems in the past.

Their main plans for the year are to introduce a pattern of senior Prefects leading small teams of other Prefects, to ensure all pupils have an opportunity for input, and to round off their school career with an end of session Prom!

Of course they also have the Christmas Dance and the Burns Supper to look forward to, as well as visiting the other Border schools' big events as the Head Team.

Both hope to go on to university and have been busy preparing their applications.

Lisa Scott spoke briefly about the opportunities for links between the School and Rotary, expressing the hope that we can expand on things like the successful Rotary Young Chef and Rotary Young Musician and other opportunities. She also invited club members to pay visits to the school to see areas in which we could cooperate in future.

Rotarian Jane Cox proposed a well deserved vote of thanks.