Lockdowns create barriers when school life resumes and the new head students want to address this.
Naomi says she would like to see better connections throughout the school, between the younger and older students and between the students and teachers.
Andrew says it will be their task to find new ways to do this and they will be thinking outside the box.
"We want to create a literal [physical] space to allow students to have their say and provide feedback," he says.
"The aim is to use our role as student representatives to let them have their say and to create more connections within the school," Naomi says.
Andrew says they hope the other students will see the head students as being approachable, and the intention is to create a family environment so other students will contribute their own ideas.
Deputy head girl for 2022 Ella Gardiner says there are several groups at the school, and having a set meeting place where they can go will create opportunities for students in these groups to become more involved in school life and to feel more included.
"So it's more like a family."
Ella says she was a shy Year 9 student who was "afraid of everything" and she wants to see tools in place for students with mental health issues such as anxiety.
Andrew says part of the role is to connect with the incoming Year 9 students.
"They haven't had the opportunities [to join in with school life] and the head students' role is to rewire them."
Incoming deputy head boy Wilson Simmonds plays golf at a championship level - he has just been selected for the men's Bay of Plenty Interprovincial Team - and says Tauhara College has offered him flexible learning so he can take time off school to pursue his sport.
His aspiration for next year is to build flexible learning into the school system so it's more readily available to other students.
Naomi says flexible learning is something that could be readily applied to any student who needs to take time off, for any reason.
Wilson whakapapas to Ngāti Tūwharetoa and says it is his goal to learn the kaikōrero so he can welcome students onto the school marae.
"I would like to see more Māori culture being incorporated into the school."
The head students say the pandemic and resulting closure of school and cancellation of events has taken away the "fun" element.
They say it is so important to bring fun back into school life that they want it formally incorporated as a core school value, along with curiosity, diversity, integrity, manaakitanga, personal growth and whanaungatanga.
"We want to make Tauhara College students excited about coming to school in 2022."
Tauhara College senior executive 2022
Head boy: Andrew Bullock
Head girl: Naomi Riedel
Deputy head boy: Wilson Simmonds
Deputy head girl: Ella Gardiner
Media/arts co-ordinator: Grace Lovelock
Tauharatanga co-ordinator: Emma Billings
Environment co-ordinator: Kensie Gard
Sports co-ordinator: Marty O'Brien
Canoe co-ordinators: Makayla Dick and Myra Gallagher
Youth co-ordinator: Hannah McAdie
