By Wong E Jeh (President), Chew Yae Ting (Vice President – Houses), Chua Jen Ee (Vice President – Departments), Kim Jisoo (Secretary – Resources), Yap Yu Xiang (Secretary – Finances)

You may be thinking, “I’m not as extroverted or as enthusiastic as the Councillors I’ve seen on stage during Orientation, am I still welcome as part of the Students’ Council?”

The short answer is Yes, but there’s more than meets the eye. There are no strict prerequisites for one to join the Students’ Council – as long as you have a heart to serve the student body, you are a suitable candidate! Ultimately, every Councillor finds personal meaning in his or her journey, and there is no one type of character or profile we look out for.

If you’re wondering if Students’ Council is the CCA for you, read on to find out!  

Hey, what’s Council?

The 44^th Students’ Council comprises 61 passionate Councillors eager to serve the school through creative and engaging means. Each Councillor is part of a Department / House Directorate and a Function and they work in tandem to serve the student body as One Council.

The Students’ Council has 3 Departments, 5 House Directorates and 6 Functions, which fall under the purview of the 5 PresSecs (Presidents & Secretaries). As the PresSecs, we inspire a shared vision among the Councillors, maintain Councillors’ welfare, and ensure that Council operates as ‘One Council’ for our initiatives to run smoothly and cohesively. 

Our CCA Department (CCAD) is the driving force behind our efforts to cultivate a strong Rafflesian spirit. From organising Spirit Week to spearheading Match Support, CCAD plays a vital role in fostering a sense of pride and identity among all Rafflesians by spotlighting the vibrancy of our Rafflesian experiences. In doing so, CCAD works closely with CCA Leaders through initiatives such as Team Raffles Games (TRG) and CCA features to support and spotlight the various CCAs in Raffles.

Our Communications Department (Commz’D) represents the student voice, frequently conducting outreach initiatives to get feedback from the student body. Our Commz’D Chefs, as they fondly call themselves, also manage our publicity platforms, showcasing student experiences and publicising school events. These platforms range from the @teamraffles Instagram page to physical avenues such as the canteen projector, blackboards and tab grabbers.

Our Welfare Department, led by our dedicated “Welfairies”, is committed to enhancing student welfare in our school. Whether it’s organising activities and care packs for students to destress during revision periods, celebrating friendships through the Friends Are Magic (FAM) week, or opening the Hodge Lodge for students to relax in, our “Welfairies” support students’ wellbeing by making school a more homely environment.  

Last but not least, our House Directorates, whom we fondly call our ‘House Dees’, are at the forefront of adding vibrancy to school life by building our House identity with exciting House Days and House initiatives. Some House initiatives include Batch Night, House Corner and Raffles Got Talent, during which the House Dees help our batch to forge meaningful experiences and lasting memories as a batch as part of our Rafflesian identity.

Apart from our Departments and Houses, we have our 6 Functions – National Day, Teachers’ Day, Graduation Night, Open House, Orientation and Council Camp! Each Councillor plays a part in planning a Function, with our 6 Functions spread out across our term.

The first Function we organised was National Day 2024. Our Councillors kept the spirit high throughout the week with pre-engagement booths and a traditional food carnival in conjunction with Take 5, before ending with a bang through our National Day Concert, where our different cultural societies and Raffles Jazz led the community singing.  

But… Why Council?

Coming into JC, many of us may be concerned — rightfully so — with juggling our various commitments. While weighing what you wish to take on in JC, it may be helpful to consider the commitment levels expected of Councillors. As with every CCA, Council holds regular Wednesday sessions from 3.00 pm to 6.00 pm, which we call our Council Protected Time (CPT). 

During CPT, we generally hold our Department / House Dee meetings from 3.00 pm to 4.30 pm and Function meetings from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm. Outside of CPT, Councillors often spend time working on proposals, doing up physical displays and decorations, or organising rehearsals and auditions in preparation for our events.

So, is joining Council really worth it?

Firstly, at the heart of Council work lies the core value of service. If you find joy in serving and giving back to the community around you, while being able to actualise innovative ideas of your own, there’s no better place than Council to chase this passion. With the myriad of opportunities to shape the meaningfulness of our schooling experience, it is entirely up to you to craft your own journey and mark our legacy as a batch in contributing to a vibrant Rafflesian experience.

Secondly, you will grow not just as a leader, but as a person. Through learning soft skills like working in a team and liaising with different stakeholders, you will experience what it is like to lead and plan events at a large scale. These experiences will catalyse your personal development, instilling important, life-long values such as accountability, empathy and independence. 

However, a Councillor is more than someone who simply plans school events; rather, you are a role model and a pillar of support for your peers, acting to serve their needs over your own. This is why, in the helming of our initiatives, we place great emphasis on obtaining feedback and input from the student population via groundwork. 

Furthermore, Councillors are expected to uphold exemplary behaviour at all times, being a moral beacon for others to follow. This is what brings us fulfilment, as we are not simply a group of event-organisers, but Student Leaders in our own right.

Lastly, you may join Council as a CCA, but you leave Council as a family. Your time in Council will be trying at times, but the joy of it is being able to push through it hand-in-hand with fellow Councillors. The Council teachers are excellent mentors who will guide you as you navigate this journey, providing valuable advice and always reminding you to move as One Council. 

Every Councillor forges unforgettable core memories during their term, and the lifelong friendships you form in Council will undoubtedly be one of the main highlights of your JC life!

To end off, Council is all about serving our peers – the student body, whether it be creating a vibrant and supportive school environment, or being there for your peers when they really need you. 

There is no shortage of ways to contribute and make a difference, but if you are passionate and ready to add to the vibrancy of our Rafflesian experience through Council efforts, we encourage you to dive in and join us as the 45th Students’ Council! We do not require any prior leadership experience, and if you would like to be part of the incoming batch of Councillors, do look out for more details on our @teamraffles Instagram page. 

We hope you enjoyed reading this article!

Do note: The 45th Students’ Council will likely be structured differently from the 44th in terms of organisation and jobscope. More details on the changes will come during the 45th Students’ Council Elections Nominations stage, during Orientation.