2007-08 Prefect Selection Program Commences A Look at Choate’s Most Selective Process
By Sam Pape ‘08
News Associate Editor
For the Class of 2007, spring term will offer a much-needed reprieve from the strenuous workload and endless college applications appropriately associated with senior year. For Fifth Form students, the onset of “Senior Spring” marks the transition into this long anticipated final year at Choate. One transition that is well underway for the Class of 2008 is the prefect process.
Applying for Prefectship
The prefect process commenced with two informational meetings in late January. Mr. Yanelli and Ms. Brenner, the heads of the program, were in attendance, as well as Corey Sherman, Head Boy Prefect. At the meeting, prospective prefects were provided with a sense of the responsibilities and the rules and stipulations associated with the job. Once the students signed in, they were considered a part of the program and are therefore now held to higher standards of conduct and demeanor.
The subsequent step in the process for interested students is the completion of the online application. Questions on the form cover a wide breadth of categories, from general information about the student to specific occasions that piqued their interest in becoming a prefect. Students also rank dorms they would like to live in from one to five. One final component of the application is a recommendation made by the student’s adviser. Once the application has been submitted, the fate of each potential prefect rests in the hands of Yanelli and Brenner, as well as with the Form Deans and advisers.
The Selection
Following the student portion of the process, deliberation among the parties involved commences. First, the applicants are put through basic screening by a committee consisting of the Form Deans, Ms. Salot, Mr. Ford, in addition to Brenner and Yanelli. “The first aspect we look for in choosing prefects is if they are good kids and follow major school rules,” explained Brenner. Having prefects who abide by and take to heart the major school rules is an imperative aspect that all candidates must demonstrate. According to Ms. Brenner, applicants who do not follow school regulations are the first to be eliminated as potential prefects.
Despite the seemingly strict policy on adherence to school rules, Sherman explained that students’ past indiscretions are “…just that; part of the past.” Students who have previously faced disciplinary action are considered no different from students who have not been disciplined; however, students who violate school rules during the course of the process may find that their predicament will impact their chance to become a prefect.
Characteristics of a Prefect
A detrimental characteristic for any prospective prefect, explained Brenner, is that he or she “..is not a people person.” She noted, “The ability to get along with people of all backgrounds is essential in a prefect.” According to Brenner and Yanelli, prefects cannot be distant and isolate themselves in their rooms, but must be able to walk around the dorm and engage all residents. Openness and the ability to relate to all members in a dorm is a key component of the “ideal” prefect, as he or she is capable of having a conversation with everyone in the dorm, regardless of whether their social groups overlap.
Diversity is another valuable asset, as the selection committee strives to create a group with students of all origins. “Obviously, the larger dorms [like Memorial House] can have the widest range of students, but we try to achieve a mix of students in each dorm, independent of its size,” commented Brenner.
In addition, Yanelli cited stability as one of key qualities that the committee looks for in applicants. “Stability, in my opinion, is the most important quality a prefect can have…being a prefect is demanding both academically and emotionally, and prefects need to be able to balance their needs and commitments with their obligations as prefect.”
Yanelli and Brenner also said they have looked for students who were able to ultimately put their prefectees before themselves. Prefects, according to the two heads, must also be able to bridge the gap between friend and foe and know when to intervene in a potentially dangerous situation. Ilias Tsangaris ’08, a potential prefect, described the role of prefects accurately, saying, “They need to act as a buffer system between students and the house advisors. Prefects need to be aware of their prefectees’ problems and know when to intervene to avoid conflict or disciplinary action.”
The Right Fit
Once the process is complete, the selection committee works hand in hand with the house advisers of each dorm to create a compatible and diverse roster of prefects. In smaller dorms, lining up the right prefects is difficult, as universally appealing prefects must be placed in houses with fewer spots.
Prefect duties vary by dorm and by role. Corey Sherman ’07 and Brit’nee Haskins ’07 hold the positions of Head Boy and Head Girl prefects, respectively. Sherman and Haskins not only fulfill their normal obligations as prefects, but also confer with Mr. Yanelli and Ms. Brenner on a weekly basis. The Head Prefects are voted on by all the prefects once the process is completed in early spring, and they attended a special wilderness program over the summer to hone their leadership skills.
Among dorms, issues prefects are faced with differ by age and by gender of the residents. Alice Bearn ’07, a prefect in Nichols, a freshman girls’ dorm, notes, “The girls can definitely get noisy and loud, which at times impedes with my ability to get work done…Patience is a valuable commodity for any freshman prefect. You need to tell them to get their work done and to calm down.”
Role Models
Bearn went on to describe how freshman perceive their prefects differently, explaining, “The girls look up to you for weird things…They looked up to me and Ari Branchini [a prefect in Pitman] because we were captains of Field Hockey.” Bearn jokes, “Sure, we were captains, but they got really excited about it.”
While noise and energy may burden freshman prefects, who often deal with issues of maladjustment, homesickness, and poor time management, there is a wider range of gravity among the issues that arise in fourth and fifth form dorms. One prefect living in a fourth and fifth form house who asked to remain anonymous said, “In freshman dorms, you are going to see kids not getting their work done or staying up past lights out...In fourth and fifth form houses, the problems become markedly more substantial.” The prefect noted, “Alcohol, drugs, tobacco, and harassment are all issues that I have seen…Eating disorders will also arise with older students.”
Demands and Rewards
Prefects are responsible for the “day-to-day health and well being,” of there prefectees, according to Yanelli, and they need to be trained to tackle these issues, however mild or serious they may be. Prefects arrive several days early before the start of the school year to participate in the Choate Leadership Institute, which equips prefects, team captains, and other student-leaders with the skills to tackle virtually any problem that afflicts high school students.
However demanding a prefect’s role may be, there is no question as to the rewards of the job. One thing many prefects have in common is the desire to be one since arriving at Choate. Haskins commented, “Since freshman year, I knew I wanted to be a prefect. It was just something I knew I wanted to do…It is so fulfilling when your prefectees spot you walking to class and shout your name and run to hug you.” Bearn reiterated Haskins’ sentiments, saying, “While perfecting has its ups and downs, it is undoubtedly rewarding to all.”
Prefect Kelsey Craig ‘07, left, helps Zoe Nash ‘09, right, with her math homework in Edsall.
