Becoming a global leader may be Johanna Kleijn's aspirations for when she grows up but for now, her role as headgirl of the Lyford Cay International School is good enough for her. The 17-year-old overachiever who is passionate about languages and being helpful to others, says her latest endeavor as co-head of her student body has truly been a challenge, but one she is glad she took on.
Q. What challenges have you faced as headgirl and how are you tackling them?
A. I think the biggest challenge for me is balancing my responsibilities as headgirl and handling my twelfth-grade academic program. It's quite rigorous. There is lots of scheduling and taking time out for both. I try to be there for the other students but I also have to let my ambitions be important too. So really the biggest challenge is time management.
Q. When you found out that you would be headgirl what did you expect your role would entail?
A. On a personal level, I expected I would be a role model for other students. I would also be expected to connect with others and ensure they feel comfortable talking to me about issues that affect them. I also knew I would have to ensure everything is running smoothly, such as there being no uniform violations, and the campus environment is clean. It has lived up to that and so far being headgirl has been good.
Q. What is an important lesson you have learnt while being headgirl?
A. I have learnt that you can't expect everyone to agree with you. So it is important to look at everyone's opinions and put yourself in someone else's shoes. I think it's something you have to do if you are really trying to understand what is going on completely and you can create a good solution.
Q. What qualities do you think made you stand out enough to your peers and teachers to be elected as headgirl?
A. I think my well-roundedness and ability to relate to others assisted me in being elected. Academically I do well and I also think I am a good role model. I am also close to my teachers and I work well with the others since it's very important. I also speak well in other languages like Dutch, English, French and German. So I think it's about being well-versed in many areas that made me a good overall choice.
Q. Seeing as you speak four languages compared to the one or two most students are pushed to study, what value do you place on knowing so many tongues?
A. I think it is very useful to know as many languages as you can. Many of the students at my school are from other countries and we embrace their diversity. Our curriculum also helps us to focus on the global market and making ourselves ready to face what is out there. I think it would do students a great deal of good to be more open-minded and the more culturally diverse they are, the more marketable they will be. With the way the economy is going it would be great to have an advantage in some way. So I would suggest students learn to speak more languages and visit other places because it expands you as an individual in more ways than one.
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