I recently had the opportunity to have breakfast with our school
President Sana Fatima. Over the course
of an hour or so Sana outlined for me her vision of leadership and gave me a
glimpse into who she is as a person.
Sana is a very passionate, caring soul who clearly has everyone's best interest at heart.
Sana brings with her a strong work ethic and clear vision of
her future. She is the eldest in a
family of three children who all live at home with both parents. Sana very proudly proclaims that both her
parents have been very supportive in guiding and caring for her growth. She attributes her work ethic to the values
instilled in her by her mother and father and extended family. She made specific reference to her cousin who
just finished a law degree at the University of Nottingham in England. Sana sees her cousin as her role model because of her passionate and humble determination. In our brief conversation, I found Sana as having these very
traits. She is very kind, humble and
sincere in her description of her family and work ethic.
As an honour roll student of Sullivan Heights, Sana does very
well in all her academic studies. It is evident that she takes her education
very seriously. Her future plans are to
attend UBC, do an undergrad degree in sciences then go into medicine specializing in
paediatrics. She envisions herself being
a force of change in the world with a special interest in global issues and
humanitarianism. Her plan is to one
day work as a pediatrician for Doctors Without Borders. Sana views her life as
an adventure in self-discovery. She is
an avid writer and values every opportunity to get out and meet new people. As I
sat and listened to her outline her vision for success, I was thoroughly impressed by her
infectious charismatic charm.
Sana’s mission for her presidency is to collectively raise
the social awareness and sense of caring at Sullivan Heights. Her vision is based on the belief that we all
share the common investment of school being a stepping-stone for our
future. She explained that if we
collectively make it more enjoyable and engaging, then the whole school
experience will be richer and more meaningful for everyone. It is clear
that Sana values empathy and caring and is dialed into the social emotional pulse
of the school. Her vision
to achieve this includes role modeling a sense of fairness and trust, spreading
positive energy, getting to know as many students as she can and continually
working to make school enjoyable, comfortable and safe for everyone.
One aspect of Sana's vision of leadership that particularly
struck my attention was her desire to help build greater capacity with the
younger student council members. This is significant because it speaks to her understanding that time is
limited and that an effective leader always seeks to leave a lasting legacy of improvement. Very
inspirational!
As we concluded our conversation, I asked Sana what legacy
she wants to leave behind at Sullivan Heights.
With wisdom beyond her years, Sana told me that…
“A legacy is something that is evident when
you look at the people you’ve worked with and the impact you’ve had on them. As
Student Council President, and even just a regular student at Sullivan Heights,
I want to make a small change that will eventually build up to something
greater. I wish to instill in my peers the desire to be a leader. I want to
help them realize their own potential and help them gain the confidence to step
up in their own lives and create change. Sometimes this means setting a good
example and sometimes it means encouraging others to get involved. If I've
learned one thing as I am growing up, it is that it only takes one brave
individual to make a difference."
It is clear that Sana has the passionate caring determination needed to be successful leader. With great anticipation and
excitement, we all look forward to working with Sana and her council as they
strive to make Sullivan Heights a better place for everyone.
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