It’s a wrap for ACG Tauranga Head Students Katelyn Bedford and Callum Connell, who have led the student body through an unforgettable 2023 with confidence and enthusiasm.

Unforgettable highlights
It’s been a fun-filled year at ACG Tauranga and Katelyn and Callum have been in the thick of the action. The highlights have been plentiful but for sociable Katelyn nothing topped walking through the school and having students of all ages and year levels coming up to chat.

“Even if I didn’t know them personally, they either knew me through my leadership team as the Head of Houses, or they’d seen me talking at assemblies and participating in school events,” says Katelyn.

“It was also really rewarding when people who wouldn’t usually put themselves out there got up to speak at assemblies, signed up for competitions or pushed themselves out of their comfort zones because of my encouragement.”

Enhancing the school community was also top of mind for Callum who says, “I enjoyed our top five morning meetings where we would discuss ideas that would increase school community and spirit. Another big highlight was speaking at assemblies – I felt honoured that the school trusted my abilities enough to take on this big role.”

Dream team
They may have been chosen as the two Head Students but when it comes to creating an unforgettable year on campus Katelyn and Callum reckon it all comes down to teamwork.

“Events always run more smoothly when the people organising them are working well with each other,” says Callum. “One of my biggest successes was bringing my team together not just as a group of people working on the same thing, but as a team who actually enjoyed working together and helping each other out.”

For Katelyn, knowing she had the backing of a strong team made all the difference.

“During my time as Head Girl I learnt the importance of trusting my team, being adaptable and learning how to compromise,” she says. “There were many times when I was called on to speak at an event last minute, the theme of an event was completely changed an hour before it started, or I had to wear five different hats at one time. These times definitely reminded me what a difference strong communication and a great team can make.”

Rising to the challenge
Leadership positions such as Head Student roles offer unbeatable opportunities for students to build their skills and grow their capabilities. But as Katelyn explains, navigating these roles don’t come without a few challenges.

“It’s tricky trying to make the hard things happen with people who are friends from your year group, without putting yourself in a position above them. Learning how to chase up mates in a friendly way was definitely a learning curve for me!”

Meanwhile Callum discovered that getting the job done often requires unwavering commitment and dedication.

“I learnt that when I put my mind to something I can achieve big things – but to get them to be the best they can be I need to continue to put in effort and not let a good idea be lost through lack of action.”

Bright future ahead
During their time at ACG Tauranga Katelyn and Callum embraced every opportunity, and the chance to lead the school as Head Students was the icing on the cake. 

“I believe that ACG Tauranga has given me the skills to work well with people and that will be extremely helpful in the future,” says Callum, who will soon wing his way to Canterbury University to complete a Bachelor of Product Design majoring in Industrial Product Engineering.

The windy city and studies in law and commerce are beckoning to Katelyn, who admits “feeling a little nervous – but so excited and prepared” for her new life at Victoria University.

“I know that coming from ACG Tauranga I’ve already learnt how I study and learn best, I have the self-discipline to get my university work done and I have the confidence to speak up. Especially going into the field of law, it’s so important to be able to hold a strong and professional conversation. I’ve been lucky enough to learn this through the many opportunities offered at ACG Tauranga.”

Top tips
But before these two outstanding Head Students hang up their leadership hats for the last time, they share some advice for those following in their footsteps:

“Make the most of your time while you have people around you to help,” suggests Callum. “Once you leave school it becomes real that there’s no longer anyone to check you’re completing your practice papers or have done enough study. Use the school’s resources such as teachers, books and homework to learn as much as you possibly can – because the more you learn in those last couple of years at school, the easier university will be and the more you will enjoy university life.”

“Make the most of your study periods, and make sure you find a balance between school and life outside of school,” advises Katelyn. “Learning how to prioritise taught me that not everything needs to be completed immediately. Find time to do something for yourself every day that has nothing to do with school – go for a walk, watch the sunset, or call a friend. It can make more of a difference than you know.”