The Prefect Program plays a crucial role in dormitory life at Choate. Prefects are seniors who have opted to live with underclassmen instead of in all-senior dorms. In the freshman, sophomore, and junior dorms, prefects serve as role models and work to support their younger peers by sharing their personal experiences, advice, or just a shoulder to cry on. “Prefects are held to higher standards in their community than their peers,” observed Emily Brenner, co-head of the prefect program with Jim Yanelli. Amy Salot, Dean of Residential Life and Associate Dean of Students, plays a major role in the coordination process as well.
With the coming change in dorm configurations, most third, fourth, and fifth formers will be grouped by form, and next year looks like a promising and an interesting year for the prefect program. “With the addition of the new dorms and the similar changes, I hope to see a group of prefects who are committed to this adjustment and act as leaders to their peers,” commented Jen Bashian ’08, who heads the prefect program with fellow senior Sam Cabot.
The responsibility and honor of leading the Choate community has sparked widespread interest among the current fifth formers about finding places within next year’s sixty prefects. Fifth former Arman Naqi says, “It gives us a great opportunity to build relationships the students and faculty you live with and to get involved in the day to day lives of the younger students. It is a great way to share our experiences and give meaningful advice if someone is ever in need of it.”
The road to becoming a prefect, however, is not a simple one. “Prospective prefects are asked to commit themselves to the program starting with the application process,” Mr. Yanelli informed juniors at an informational meeting. The application process itself consists of an online application and a recommendation from an adviser or, under certain circumstances, someone else in the Choate community who is very familiar with the applicant. Applicants are encouraged to visit dorms in which they would be interested in perfecting, with the intention of meeting the dorm advisers. In addition, each applicant is expected to fully consider whether he or she could handle the challenges that come with the job.
A handout given to juniors at the meeting, entitled “Prefect Roles and Responsibilities: What to Expect,” enumerates the expectations for prefects. Among them is “being a supportive, available, and approachable peer counselor, who is able to listen well and respond reasonably and rationally” while maintaining “confidentiality and privacy.” Additionally, prefects are responsible for confronting “all major school rule violations you encounter.”
Despite the challenges inherent to the job, Jen Bashian ’08 found it to be “a whirlwind, and a good learning experience. The bonds I’ve developed with Mr. Yanelli and Ms. Brenner and Cabot have been helpful in the decision-making process in terms of guiding the program. It’s been incredible.”
Fellow prefect Dan Thomas said of the experience: “For me it has been filled with ups and downs, but I have enjoyed living with my boys in Logan.”
The new dorms, scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2008, will in turn bring an increase in boarders, changing the landscape of prefectship. PHOTO/Michael Tsai ’10
