Isabel Leong Li Ern
ROLL OF HONOUR
Isabel Leong Li Ern
MN618
Lasallian Distinguished Service Award ( Year 6 )
Goal-oriented , honest and hardworking , Isabel has the traits of an impactful and proactive student leader . As someone who is willing to take charge , Isabel would not hesitate to step up and volunteer to help out at school events , always ready to give her best regardless of the circumstances .
Isabel ’ s journey to becoming a student leader who embodies the Lasallian values of unwavering service did not come easy . Initially , she used to have the idea that to be impactful , she had to do something grand and spectacular for as many groups of people as possible . This preconceived notion even became an obstacle for her in believing what she did was good enough let alone worthy of attention or recognition .
Without realising it at the time , Isabel set foot on her service journey when she chose to run for Student Council as the Marcian Fraternity Captain . She had the initial intention of wanting to create a vibrant school life for everyone . This role came with huge responsibility but she persevered through with her goal in mind — to make SJI a place where students can call home . Later , Isabel went on to join the Lasallian Leaders Training Camp ( LLTC ) in 2022 and 2023 which allowed her to discover her full potential in being a student leader for the school . On top of that , she was a volunteer in Lasallian Mentoring and We Can Read . Through her active participation in various activities in and out of school , she understood what service meant to herself : to lay herself down for others and to do everything to her highest potential .
Everything that Isabel did taught her that no matter how small her role , it still had an impact on someone . She did not need a big and flaunty action for it to be meaningful . Lasallian Mentoring and We Can Read both required working closely and engaging with children .
Isabel saw her ‘ service ’ beginning to take shape in seeing how she became significant to the children she was working with . Acting as a ‘ big sister ’ to them showed her that simply acting as a guide and being there for someone was sufficient .
2023 was a turning point in Isabel ’ s service and leadership journey . The two most significant activities were Orientation Camp and LLTC 2023 . In the former , she was the representative of the Marcian fraternity to welcome the incoming Year 5 students , and in the latter , she was appointed as the IC of the camp ; one of the only activities in school that bring together students from Year 3 to Year 6 . She helped to ensure that the Year 5s and 6s were equipped to pull off a successful camp for the Year 3 participants . These two roles gave her the responsibility of managing large groups of people and pushed her beyond her limits but promoted growth in ways she could not even imagine . With the support of those she worked with , her worries would dissolve away and the confidence that they had in her would eventually become a value she saw in herself . If it were not for the experiences she has had , she would not be the same person that she is today .
Nearing the end of her service journey in SJI , Isabel has become proud of her accomplishments , knowing that in everything she attempted , she did her very best . The values of Faith , Service , and Community resonate in her and will serve as a guiding principle in how she leads her life ; Faith being the heart and soul of what drives her , Community being the people she can serve , and Service being her way to make the world around her a better place .
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