Four years ago, sixth-former Robby Ober, who is now one of the school’s Senior Prefects and a captain of Boys Varsity Soccer, was just a third-former new to Kent like many who are reading this article. Son of history teacher Mr. Robert Ober and Director of Admissions Mrs. Amy Ober, Robby discussed his Kent journey and position in the student council.
Looking back on what he has learned since he arrived, he said that being at Kent helped him manage his time better. “I think being at Rumsey (Robby’s old school) prepared me for Kent, but Kent reinforced to me as a student how to manage my time better.” Robby also mentioned how, academically, Kent has offered him with more rigorous courses, allowing him to improve his academic capabilities progressively. “Academically, I became a better student because of Kent’s rigorous courses as well as meeting new people from different places,” Robby stated.
As a senior prefect, Robby described how Kent’s diversity differs from other schools and has impacted his relationships with other students. He first mentions that “Kent probably has the best diversity in all the schools in the NEPSACs because there are so many different people from so many different countries, and I think you can learn so much.” The broad community of international students at Kent allowed him to learn from different cultures and perspectives that he would never have imagined. Moreover, he finalized his point by saying, “The balance of domestic students and international students creates a good diverse environment that it is hard to find in other places.”
Robby’s position as Senior Prefect is considered the most important leadership role that a Kent student can take. There is a lot on his shoulders, but Robby takes that as a positive reminder that he has to perform his duty at his best. Recalling the moment when Hudson Small ‘23 named him to succeed the senior prefect role, he mentioned, “I was excited just to get it; it’s super shocking, and I was super nervous. You feel that pressure after a split second, but it feels good because you know the community trusts you.”
That night when Hudson gave him the torch of the new Senior Prefect was cited by Robby as his most memorable moment at Kent. Robby also remembers the conversation he had afterwards with Hudson who, as an experienced Senior Prefect, advised him: “It feels good after twenty seconds, and then you will feel like, oh, now you have to do all of this work, all this pressure, it will all run through your mind.” Robby firmly believes he has done better in managing his own mind and acknowledging room for mistakes.
He also realizes there will be people who will succeed him in the future, and he has a special message for them: “cherish that night because it moves by fast, and for me, that night, I wanted to absorb every moment, because before you are going to be in that graduation stage” before you know it.
