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| Catching Up With: Oakes Field Primary School head girl Derrica Ferguson |
Chakara Bennett
Guardian Lifestyles Reporter chakara@nasguard.com
Published: Mar 07, 2012
She may only be 10-years-old, but Oakes Field Primary School head girl Derrica Ferguson already knows that you don’t accomplish anything unless you’re able to dream big. And even at a young age, she doesn’t believe that she shouldn’t already be thinking about her future. She fully understands that dreaming big enough to surpass the stars means if she falls short, that she’s at least still among the clouds. The sixth grade student with a 3.81 grade point average hopes to continue to inspire her peers to follow in her footsteps and dream seemingly impossible dreams because she believes the world doesn’t have enough dreamers. She says if you want to change the world it all starts with an idea.
Q. Why is it so important that young students like yourself learn to dream big and follow through? A. I think it is important to push young children to follow their dreams and not stop them from dreaming. As children, everything seems possible until someone tells you it isn’t. You have to let us dream and come up with ways to make our ideas come true. There are so many ways to do things and you have to keep on dreaming and trying. I think all kids have the ability to do great things and we just need to be able to dream big. Right now I am doing my best to accomplish my goals by being head girl of my school and having a position where I can encourage others.
Q. How did you feel when you were told you would be headrail and what did you expect the position would entail? A. I was a prefect from grade five so I knew what the role of being a leader on campus meant. When I did the best on the test that only select prefects could take, I already sort of knew what to expect of the role. I knew I had to set a good example for the other students and I would have to work hard to keep up with my work. I also knew I wanted to encourage other students to be active after school and to get more involved in their schoolwork. So far I think I have been doing a good job by being the best example I could be to everyone and showing the other students how to belive in themselves even when they think they can’t do something.
Q. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as head girl? A. My greatest challenge is being the perfect example for all the boys and girls. Sometimes you do something wrong and because you are head girl people make a bigger deal than normal out of it. I have to try to be on my best behavior and do everything right because people are watching. I’m not perfect so I have to apologize when I am doing something wrong and try harder not to do it again. I think I have been doing that well, but it’s a challenge I have everyday.
Q. What lesson do you expect to take into your future endeavors from being head girl? A . I think having a sense of teamwork is definitely something I am learning to do better and better. I also think I will keep up the attitude of always holding myself to a level that I can be an example to people around me. I always want to inspire other students and show them how easy it is to have a dream and achieve it if you are willing to work for it. I will keep on trying to be in positions where I can influence others for the better. I definitely appreciate being head girl.
Q. What are your future ambitions? A. I hope to one day be a doctor who finds a cure for HIV/AIDS. This may not seem possible but I have a dream that I can and so I will. I believe that nothing is impossible as long as you can dream. I want to encourage other students to work hard and do well in school as well so that they can reach for the stars. You need a good education if you want to have a chance at all the opportunities that are out there. I really want to encourage others to see more than where they are now. |
