Senior year is often viewed as the finish line, but before that time comes, the rising seniors need to step up. When these juniors become seniors, they are expected to fill certain roles inside the school to set the tone to the underclassmen and give them someone to look up to. Senior leadership isn’t about popularity, it is about the example you will leave behind. At St. Dominic, there are multiple roles these seniors can step up to, including Head of House, Peer Ministry, and Family Captain.
Peer Ministry is a role that is filled by seniors who are the leaders of faith. They lead retreats, do behind the scenes work for different liturgies, and help form discipleship. They ultimately lead by example and help put discipleship into action.
“We take so much time from these kids, so we need them to be on top of their service hours, on top of their grades, as well as attendance and discipline,” Campus Minister Ms. Schmittgens said.
One of the most important parts about being a senior leader is setting the standard for the underclassmen. Underclassmen look up to seniors, not only in academics, but also in sports and everyday behaviors. They look at how they act, treat others, apply themselves, and handle tasks that come at them. If these seniors are showing respect and responsibility, it will encourage underclassmen to do the same. On the other hand, it also helps prevent negativity from spreading, because if they don’t see the upperclassmen acting that way, then they won’t want to either.
HOH’s are student leaders who are called to lead one of the six houses we have here at St. Dominic. There is one girl and one guy from each house who step up and take on a role of leading at pep rallies and different house events. By being a Head of House, it is a cool way to leave your legacy at St. Dominic.
“The whole idea of the house system is to build community, so someone who isn’t socially competent and can’t make people feel included is something these kids and teachers will see,” Assistant Principal for Student Life Mr. Tock said.
Family Captains are senior leaders who run their family time and help bring the community together. They find fun games to play with their family and work with the HOH’s to keep family time fun for all. They also help lead during the assembly’s to cheer on our houses.
Leadership also means stepping outside of your comfort zone. Not everyone is a natural born leader, but leadership can show up in small actions, like helping a freshman figure out their schedule or even speaking up when something isn’t right. These actions that may seem minor to some people make a supportive and stronger community. However, the four pillars at St. Dominic are prayer, study, community, and service. When these seniors step up and exhibit leadership through these four pillars, it sets a great example for the rest of the school.
“I think the biggest impact that Peer Ministry has on the community is seeing that faith is attainable, but by having leaders of faith in the school that are also students shows how faith can be a thing right now,” Ms. Schmittgens said.
Senior leaders are given the opportunity to leave their legacy and be remembered how they want to be. What they do during their last year of high school can shape their future and the futures of other students in years to come. Whether it’s being a family captain or being known as either a HOH or a Peer Minister, it gives a lasting impact to the community. Overall, senior leadership isn’t around just to make them feel superior to everyone else, it is there to help inspire and include everyone around them.
