For Bermuda High School students Drew Sussman and Megan Bower, being head boy and head girl is more than just being the face of the school. Holding the top student positions requires the two teenagers to take on tremendous responsibility and a host of tasks that are central to governing the school.“At BHS the head students are not figureheads like they are at other schools,” said Megan, 17.“They’re actually meeting and working together to come up with ideas.”The students explained that as head boy and head girl they have many duties, including chairing the student meetings.“Instead of having teachers, it’s students leading students with teacher mentors in the background,” explained Megan.The students said they are active liaisons between the student body and the teachers, and they consistently work to bring to life the ideas of the students.They also work to make opportunities within the school available to all.Megan shared the example of a student who suggested holding a free-dress day on Halloween, and using the proceeds from that day to start a Round Square Bursary Fund. The fund is for students who wish to participate in global student exchange programmes and international service projects but do not have the financial means to do so.“Raising money for this fund is a priority for us [as head students],” said Megan.Drew, 16, also commented on this, saying that as head students they work to create “equal opportunities for all” at the school.“It’s part of our job to promote student exchanges through Round Square and international service projects,” he said.BHS is a member of the Round Square conference of schools who emphasise personal development and responsibility as well as academic excellence.As a result, BHS participates in many Round Square exchanges and activities, and the school has a strong investment in developing a global perspective.Drew, who lives in Smith’s and likes to act, added: “Our work is very hands on. We function on the principles of respect, communication and representation both in the local community and on a global scale.”He added: “I find the responsibility [of being head boy] incredibly fulfilling.”Megan said she and Drew have the power to help solve many potential problems in the school.The Paget resident, who is also a member of the BHS debate team, also loves the access to other students she gains from being head girl.“It gives me a chance to interact with the lower years of the school,” she said. “Seeing myself as a role model is motivating. It gives me a reason to work harder and behave in a way that makes my school proud.”Asked about the selection process, the students explained that the head students are elected by their fellow students and teachers.“We feel it’s incredibly important that the head students and the entire student leadership of a school is done by democratic election because students need to be able to choose who they want to represent them,” said Drew.Megan added: “It is teaching students at a younger age to vote responsibly and it means that they are involved in student leadership and they’ll support us because they chose us.”Head student candidates campaign for a week, visiting classes and talking to students to see what they would like from their leaders. Then, the morning of the election, the candidates deliver speeches, and half the day is taken up with voting. The votes are anonymous.“Our goal as student leaders for the year is to establish sustainable leadership for the future of the student committee at BHS,” said Drew.“We are currently drafting a constitution of the structure of the leadership that will hopefully see success for many years to come,” he continued, explaining also that the constitution will allow for consistency in the student leadership model.Despite the heavy load the teenagers have taken on as head students, they are still very active in other school and extra-curricular endeavours.Both students are candidates for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which necessitates taking a robust selection of courses with added challenging components.They both are also applying to universities overseas for next year. Megan plans on attending university in the UK, while Drew is hoping to attend Western University in London, Canada.Drew will appear in this year’s pantomime production and is the drummer in a rock band, Paper Cutouts. He plays football and roller hockey and volunteers with the BHS youth football team.Megan is just as active. Besides debating, she also plays the guitar, runs, and volunteers at Masterworks Foundation. She is a part of Youth News and also mentors a year seven student.“I think what I’m most proud of is the opportunities through Youth News to have my work published,” she said.The students offered parting advice to younger students.“It’s important that students value their education and they take ownership of it and realise this is an opportunity they are being given. They should take full advantage of it and make the most of having their teachers there and ask them questions and work to the best of their ability because it is not going to be forever,” she said. “Sitting here in my senior year I can see the end of high school now and I can see that it has been all worthwhile and it is getting me to where I want to be.”Said Drew: “My advice, I think, would be the same as the goal. The student body needs to have respect for each other, their peers, staff, and all members of the school community. They need to communicate with one another, because that’s the basis of a healthy relationship, and they need to represent themselves and the school and the Island within the school community, the local community and the global community.”