‘Felt like a bubble’: What made Nadia Rondon Carreno leave her Adelaide private school for a public one

Why this Adelaide teenager left private education to chase her dream – and the surprising reason she chose a public school.

Nadia Rondon Carreno was a private school girl for most of her life.

Last year, she switched to public education to pursue her dream of one day becoming Prime Minister of Australia.

From reception to year 10, the 17-year-old with a passion for politics attended Tyndale Christian School in Salisbury East with her three siblings.

But after her older sister and younger brother moved to Roma Mitchell Secondary College and Nadia’s subject options became slim, she decided to follow them.

Before moving to Roma Mitchell, Nadia believed “misconceptions” that public schools were worse. Image/Russell Millard Photography

Nadia, now in year 12, told her story as the SA Secondary Principals Association (SASPA) launched a campaign, Our Schools, It Takes a Team, to promote the achievements of public school students and their staff.

“I specifically came here (to Roma Mitchell) because they offered legal studies and my old school didn’t,” Nadia said.

“I knew that Tyndale wasn’t the right place for me anymore.”

Before moving to Roma Mitchell, Nadia believed “misconceptions” that public schools were worse than the private system.

“I did have that misconception and misinformation that was being spread that my education would be less supported at a public school,” she said.

“I just assumed that with less funding, that the materials given to you, the equipment and the facilities were lower standard.

“All those misconceptions came to be false and if anything, being at a private school felt like a bubble and there wasn’t a lot of perspective.”

Roma Mitchell Secondary College year 12 student Nadia Rondon Carreno transferred from a private school last year to pursue a career in politics. Image/Russell Millard Photography

Now blossoming at Roma Mitchell, her passion for politics comes from a family history of escaping dictatorships in South America.

Nadia’s mother moved from Chile to Australia at eight-years-old to flee the regime of dictator Augusto Pinochet, while her father left Venezuela when he was 20.

“Knowing how my extended family is impacted over there in terms of how they live and the fear they experience, all of that, has always made me interested in politics,” she said.

In less than two years at Roma Mitchell, Nadia had already been elected head prefect of the senior school and launched an initiative to donate money from recycled cans to charity.

“I really want to make an impact wherever I go,” she said.

“It really just fuelled my desire to do as much as I possibly could.”

Often positive stories, such as Nadia’s, go unheard SASPA chief executive Kirsty Amos said.

“Every day, remarkable things happen in our public schools and students have empowering and enriching experiences,” Ms Amos said.

While schools are “not without their challenges and complexities”, Education Minister Blair Boyer said, they are also “filled with some of the most amazing and inspiring teachers, as well as incredibly talented young people”.