Welcome to the latest edition of our blog! Today we welcome Cayden Caine to have a chat, Cayden is 9 years of age and he is currently the School Councillor at New Park Primary School in Liverpool. Cayden really enjoys his role and he thinks that if more people helped each other, then we would have a much more safe and healthier society. Cayden is a fantastic role model and is everything that we need our children to be if we want to improve our communities and ensure the best possible future for the leaders of tomorrow.
Question 1 – Welcome Cayden! So, what exactly does a School Councillor do?
"I spend time helping people. I try to help people everyday. I will support people in class or in the playground; sometimes people will ask if improvements can be made with the food at lunch time, for example. Recently, we have worked with the teachers to improve the food, now we are given hot and cold food to choose from.
My teacher is nice, she has given me permission to help people on my own, if I feel able to. But, if I think that I need an adult, then I will always speak to my teacher, Mrs Ellis. This helps to make sure that the person is getting the best help possible."
“Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them.”
— Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady of the United States
2 – Why do you think that people need help?
"If we did not help people then they would possibly be upset, sad or angry. This means that they would not enjoy school or like to learn new things. People might find it harder to complete their work, which means that they might feel left behind or like they don’t fit in. If people are given choices or if they can change things, then they are likely to be happier. We should try to be helpful."
“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.”
— Stacia Tauscher, dancer and artist
3 – What changes have you seen since being School Councillor?
"The change with the school food has been a big change and is something which people seem to like. It has been hard to be School Councillor because of the changes the teachers have had to make to stop the virus, but it’s important to try and keep people happy because it’s a tricky time. If the kids and teachers are talking to each other, then this might help to improve other things, like less bullying."
“Every child you encounter is a divine appointment.”
— Wess Stafford, President Emeritus of Compassion International
4 – Why did you want to be a School Councillor?
"I like to help people and make things easier for them. I care about people. Recently, I have given my pocket money to a homeless person on London Road, I had seen him a few times and I thought that he might use the money better than me. It was only £1, but it might help him to buy some food and I already had food at home. I spoke to my Mum about it and she agreed that I could give him my pocket money. I felt good about giving him my money. More people should help the homeless, it is not fair."
“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.”
— Henry Ward Beecher, reverend and social activist
5 – What do you hope being the School Councillor will lead to?
I would like to become a School Prefect in future, this is the next step on from being a Councillor. I would like to support our teachers, I think that they have a difficult job to do and they need help in the classroom.
The School Prefect helps to give out the school work and will collect the work in at the end of the lesson. I have a friend who is a Prefect and I think that he does a very good job.
“The soul is healed by being with children.”
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Russian novelist and philosopher
6 – What changes have you seen in school because of Coronavirus?
We all have to wear masks and keep our distance from each other. We are not allowed to touch or run around. We are able to play, but we can’t play in the same way as before – it is definitely less fun than before.
We have had to be more imaginative and try and make up new ways of playing, this is fun, but it’s sad sometimes because more people are playing alone. Sometimes this is OK, but playing alone is boring and lonely.
“The potential possibilities of any child are the most intriguing and stimulating in all creation.”
— Ray L. Wilbur, third president of Stanford University
7 – When you grow up what job would you like to do and has it helped being a School Councillor?
Yes! I really like Maths, I am one of the best in my class. I would like to teach Maths, but not be a school teacher. I would like to teach in prisons or hospitals. I think that the things I’m doing now will help me when I grow up.
“Children are our most valuable resource.”
— Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States
8 - Do you think that more people on your estate could help each other?
"Yes, people could work together better. Adults should be involved, like the teachers in school are, because this will make sure that the kids behave themselves. We are little, but we can help make things better. The grown-ups can help each other too and it would be a lot nicer and happier."
“The best way to make children good is to make them happy.”
— Oscar Wilde, author and poet
9 – Finally Cayden, if more people helped each other, then what changes do you think we would see?
"There would be less people homeless and sad. More people would be happier and together, this might make things even better. People might be healthier and people will be able to support each other better"
Thank you so much for chatting with us today, we hope that lots of people will read this and become inspired at the example which you have set. Well done and keep up the amazing work!
“When I approach a child, he inspires in me two sentiments — tenderness for what he is and respect for what he may become.”
— Louis Pasteur, French chemist and microbiologist
Thank you
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