The position of Prefect is among the most prestigious and influential leadership roles in the Upper School. While the Class of 2025 Prefects still have five months before graduation, Germantown Academy House Heads are already beginning the selection process for next year’s Prefects.
As ambassadors of their respective Houses, House Prefects at GA are essential to student leadership. During House events, these student leaders promote school spirit, serve as positive role models and help facilitate their House agenda through leading House meetings, coordinating House Olympics and providing mentorship to new freshmen in the Houses.
As the school year comes closer to an end, juniors interested in the Prefect position are starting to enter the competitive journey that will determine the next group of senior leaders.
The process of becoming a Prefect began by receiving an email from Mr. Moll in mid-January that provided all the details of the position, which they then followed up by sending a letter to apply for the role.
Following this, candidates sat through a 10-15 minute interview with their House head and two other faculty members within their House, where they discussed the candidate’s leadership qualities and asked why they wanted to become Prefect. Given the role’s title, the selection process is quite competitive, with many juniors “fighting” for the spot.
Despite this competitive nature, Truesdell House Head Utsav Mittal ‘25 discusses the importance of House unity, regardless of the outcomes of the Prefect selection process.
“For the upcoming round of Prefects, I would like to see a group of leaders who are really willing to collaborate and be compassionate with each other, especially those seniors who did not get the Prefect position,” Mittal said. “I envision new Prefects willing to lean on each other for support as well as take initiative when they know they can do something well, and be open minded about working with other members of their House.”
Mittal also speaks about his personal insight on why he became a Prefect.
“I wanted to be a Prefect because I was pretty comfortable and familiar with all of the seniors in the Tuesdal senior class, and I was in a good position to connect them to the House as senior leaders this year,” Mittal said. “I think of myself as a pretty welcoming and friendly person, which lends itself to being a Prefect, and I wanted to give comfort to underclassmen in my House the same way I was welcomed by past Prefects throughout my upper-school years at GA.”
J.P. McGill ‘26, a Kershaw junior currently applying for the Prefect position, gives advice to any freshmen and sophomore who could potentially apply for the Prefect position.
“Think it through. Just do it because you want to do it, not because you want to put something on your college apps,” McGill said. “They really harped on that when they were talking about the position. So you know you’re what you’re getting into.”
Ms. Peggy Bradley, House Head of Alcott Day, talks about the qualities a House looks for in a Prefect.
“We’re looking for sort of a variety of kids … We want different thoughts, right? And then perhaps we need to have a team of Prefects with different areas of strength, so that when they mesh together, they’re truly a team,” Ms. Bradley said.
The role of Prefect at GA does not only give a title of high prestige, but also a role for students to grow their leadership skills further and leave a lasting impact on their respective Houses.
“Prefects are super important and central in welcoming new students to GA, as they begin working with the incoming freshman class from when they are in 8th grade,” Mittal said. “Prefects are many times the first upper schoolers incoming freshman see, so it’s really important for them to feel welcomed.”
As the selection process unravels, juniors eagerly wait for the results of who will take the Prefect spots for the 2025-2026 school year. The goal is to release decisions before spring break, though historically, decisions have been pushed back due to deliberation. Regardless of the end results, the Prefect process fosters personal growth and encourages leadership skills and school spirit for students to transform GA’s community.