Smithton High School’s Student Executive Council is striving to lift the bar in attendance and participation. 

Boasting a larger team than in previous years, the group meets every Wednesday to plan school events and discuss strategies to combat challenges facing the student body. 

The team of 11 has a range of goals set for the year ahead, including to increase the unity of its students and to form a comfortable environment for year seven students transitioning to high school. 

“We’re looking to create a welcoming and accepting environment as a team this year,” says co-president Lara Porteus-Smith. 

Treasurer Bree Birtwistle is keen to increase participation in school initiatives and attendance: “I’d like to see people get more involved and excited about carnivals and just coming to school in general,” she says. 

Co-president Henry Wright highlighted the group’s presence in the community as an area he’d like to improve. 

“Increased community presence would have a really positive effect on the team,” he says, of representing the school within the wider community. 

“We shouldn’t need blazers to discern the council from the rest of the cohort, it should be obvious.” 

In summarising the team’s goals for the year, Councillor Shakira Baldock was quick to highlight the size of the council as a crucial resource.

“We want to use our larger team to our advantage by raising the bar for future SEC teams and setting a higher standard,” she says.

“At the end of the day we just want to leave a strong legacy.”

Dressed to impress: Smithton High School’s Student Executive Council for 2019 is (back from left) Shakira Baldock, Piper Grey, Bree Birtwistle, Sophie Furphy, Lily Nibbs, Jaz Martin, Charlotte Smith, (front) vice president Jett Grey, co-president Lara Porteus-Smith, co-president Henry Wright and vice president Annalise Barker.