Kenyan Christmas changes George’s mind

George Pearce, Head Boy at Berkhamsted School

Berkhamsted School’s head boy, George Pearce has spoken about feeling gratitude at one Christmas in his mother’s home in Kisumu, Kenya – although he initially resented the occasion.

George gave his talk at Berkhamsted’s community Christmas concert to a packed St Peter’s Church, enjoying a charity evening of festive music, comedy, celebrity readings and carols.

Reflecting on a 2018 Christmas in Kisumu, George said: ‘At the time I was ungrateful because it wasn’t the Christmas I was used to. I remember saying to my mum, I wish I had presents instead, but looking back I realised how wrong it was to say that. Seeing how those who were the most disadvantaged still have a smile on their face and enjoy every moment of Christmas, made me realise how lucky we are.

‘I linked this to the Gospel of Luke, which describes Jesus coming in humility, and being born in a simple stable; he wasn’t wrapped in luxury. Ultimately, the greatest gift you can receive is togetherness, and the greatest gift you can give is love.’

The concert, organised by Charlie Hussey and members of The Swan Youth Project (TSYP), raised £2000 for the charity. The main aim of TSYP is to provide a safe, drug-free and alcohol-free environment where 12-18 year olds can participate in a variety of social education programs and activities.

George was appointed head boy of the whole school in May this year. He describes the process as extremely rigorous. It entailed sending his CV to multiple interviews, including an AI interview and group tasks.

‘I applied for the role because I genuinely value service and I want to use my platform to give back to both the school and the wider community. I want to build the link further between the school and The Swan Youth Project to help others in the community feel valued.

‘After Berkhamsted, I would love to study politics, hopefully at LSE, using the course as another stepping stone towards making meaningful change. Even though I will be leaving Berkhamsted soon, I still want to keep connected with the community and give back.’

George was also involved in the school podcast with this year’s Head Girl. Listen on YouTube or Spotify.