Written by: Alexa Nicolai
The 2024-2025 school year has already been filled with surprises and accomplishments. From House Day to football victories, the school days have been filled with fun. The fun activities students are gifted with at the school require intense planning and hard work. We ought to give credit to our staff, teachers, and House Leaders, including two seniors, elected by their peers to be House Captains this year, Rachel Bartels and Joe Spades.
These two self-driven leaders have been given the responsibility to plan school events, attend committee meetings, and regularly communicate with Upper School students and staff. Let’s look into the daily life of the House Captains and see what they have in store for the school year.
Joe Spades, ‘25
Joe Spades was very excited when he found out that he was going to be a House Captain.
“I always love being able to help my community. I have always wanted to help my classmates and have an important voice,” Spades says.
There are certainly difficulties in becoming a House Captain, involving many different skills, including responsibility, leadership, and time management.
“Challenges such as other events to plan around play a big part in how we have to plan events. Make sure to manage your time well. Senior year has constant, but fun challenges. Rachel has been great to work with all year. She knows what it means to be a true leader, and she always has fun ideas for the school,” Spades added.
The House Captains’ priorities affect students’ daily lives. Spades’s favorite part about being a House Captain is having to communicate with others, one of his strengths.
“As House Captains, Rachel and I help lead and plan House activities, school-wide activities such as Homecoming, and other fun activities throughout the year. My favorite part about being a House Captain is the connections I get to make with the teachers and faculty at Providence.”
Spades also encourages others to follow in his footsteps.
“I would recommend becoming a House Captain because of the job itself. You get to have great responsibilities and make great relations with the faculty,” he mentioned. Spades will continue to help Providence Academy thrive throughout this year.
Rachel Bartels, ‘25
When Rachel Bartels learned she was going to be a House Captain, she was very excited and honored to be chosen. Immediately, she had a goal for House.
“I was optimistic about making House something that everyone looks forward to,” Bartels says.
Although Bartels was a House Deputy last year, there are still obstacles for her to overcome as a House Captain.
“Time is never on my side. There are always five more things on my list to plan or do, but it is okay, because it keeps me on my toes,” Bartels explains.
Through her role of becoming a House Captain, she recommends being a leader to others. She loves how she has the opportunity to work together alongside the council, Mr. Hester, Mr. Skemp and many others.
“It definitely has many perks and privileges and is something I never thought I would do, but am incredibly glad that I did. I get to continue to learn patience, time management and teamwork,” Bartels explains.
Bartels’s leadership position gives her joy and happiness, even when it’s just the beginning of the year. One of her favorite memories was at the start of the school year, when they had a House Council meeting.
Like Spades, Bartel encourages others to get involved in the House Council, if the requirements align with their strengths.
“Make sure that you have leadership skills, are organized, enjoy planning events, and are willing to give up a substantial amount of free time in order to fully live out this exciting role,” Bartels explained.