‘You’re a Leader’- Leadership Camp organised by Neth FM for the prefects of Ruhunu Vijayaba Beliatta last year was a phenomenal success. It was organized by Neth FM on the request made by Ruhunu Vijayaba by the school prefect board headed by H / Ruhunu Vijayaba College, Beliatta, Former Assistant Principal, Rohana Andaraweera.
“Teaching children the skills needed to be leaders is important to help prepare the next generation to take lead and become responsible citizens. Schools should provide children with opportunities so they can take up leadership roles in society. Group projects in the class and sports activities in the school can be organized to hone the leadership skills of children. Children should have a sense of belonging when it comes to school life. Teacher owned classroom is still in our school system and it inhibits the child when it comes to developing a positive attitude towards learning. Students’ leadership in schools is an important element in the smooth running of school activities and maintaining students’ discipline. It is important for the school administration as well as teachers to consider student leaders as partners and therefore involve them in the planning and implementation of school strategies,” said Andaraweera.
The camp was organized to instill leadership skills and in the Prefects focusing also on personality development. All participants spent a memorable and cheerful time in the camp. The three- day residential camp accommodated 100 students, grade 10 students onwards. One goal of the camp was to imbue in the Prefects a sense of patriotism. There was also a focus on the importance of character building. Participants also got to understand how to communicate effectively which is an important quality of leadership. Developing communication skills is crucial and important for the development of an individual. Learning how to communicate allows you to motivate and encourage others. It is a widely acknowledged fact in the modern world that no matter how academically brilliant we are, if we are not able to communicate effectively, we cannot be successful.
The outdoor activities certainly proved beneficial to the students and the Latin phrase ‘Mens sana in corpore sano’ comes to one’s mind. It means that the mind and body should be both healthy and sound. A sound mind means a mind capable of good, positive and free thinking mind. A healthy body is obtained by maintaining a good diet and good exercise to keep the body going.
‘You’re a leader program’ provides the youth with opportunities to learn through team work. Different modes of the camp such as lectures, films, discussions and out -door activities made the participants very active.
There is no doubt that this program brought out the hidden talents of the Prefects. They learnt how to shoulder responsibilities and they understood what it meant to be committed to each other. Overall they learnt how to unite and face the challenges the program posed, while thoroughly enjoying themselves. One of the highlights was the camp fire. The participants were also very keen to display their talent in drama in the presence of parents and teachers. Despite the tight schedule the participants never felt exhausted. The trainers from Neth FM had an excellent rapport with the students.
The teacher training session was another aspect of the camp and had a positive impact on the teachers. The parents also got involved in a special program. Most parents expressed their profound gratitude to the program presenter Dilshan Madawala for giving their children this golden opportunity for self- development.
Camp ended with the session ‘Exam Secrets’ giving useful tips for O/L students to perform well at the national level examinations. The camp organizers extended their cooperation providing the participants with 100 plants to create an eco friendly environment in the school.
