Eastern suburbs 2022 student leaders speak out on their vision for the future
Meet our future prime ministers, captains of industry and world changers. The eastern suburbs student leaders of 2022 share their vision for their schools – and beyond.
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It’s a tumultuous time in history but the future is looking exceptionally bright with an incredible group of eastern suburbs student leaders revealing their hopes and visions.
From their determination to emerge stronger than ever after the pandemic to championing social justice initiatives, it’s clear our country is in good hands with these inspiring young leaders of tomorrow.
Meet the school leaders of 2022:
St Catherine’s School
Head Girl Rhianna Jones and Deputy Head Girl Clementine Hambour
As leaders of St Catherine’s, we approach this year with great excitement.
We feel that it is a new beginning, a clean slate, knowing full well the community has had two years of unsettled isolation.
Our greatest hope is that we can make a positive impact on the students that will continue to last after we have graduated, as leadership teams before us have.
In this time of reconnection within our school community, we want to further contribute to nurturing a collaborative spirit in classes, among year groups or houses, continuing to foster a positive culture at school where the students not only respect each other, but take pride in actively celebrating each other.
To put this vision into practice, we are excited to be listening to the voices of our peers this year, learning about their experiences at school and their unique passions, what they love about school already and their wishes for 2022.
We aim to use this feedback to inform us of how to cater as leaders to our particular student body.We have the greatest honour to lead in an effective, joyful and heartfelt manner, and we look forward to being transparent and empathetic role models.
We especially feel the importance of being guided by our school values of Integrity, Courage, Relationships, Service, now more than ever.
The values teach us to strive for something bigger than ourselves as individuals, and we believe this attitude is crucial in truly uniting a school community.
Rose Bay Secondary College
School captains Nicola Steele and Timothy Sanford
On behalf of Rose Bay Secondary College and our wonderful leadership team, which currently lead and support the Class of 2022 as well as the school’s talented, diverse and dedicated student body, we wanted to take this opportunity to impart our hopes and visions for this year at RBSC.
Despite the ever prevalent obstacle of the pandemic, this year at RBSC has kicked off to a successful start with our Valentine’s Day event almost underway and plans for more events and initiatives throughout the year looking promising.
The leadership team is strongly focused on steadily and enthusiastically rebuilding our school’s sense of community and spirit and educating our student body further outside of academics to encourage greater empathy, understanding and knowledge to be applied in and away from school to build up well-rounded individuals.
Our support network couldn’t have been better in providing our year with all the encouragement, understanding and assistance we could hope for in our transition into our senior studies and their amount of support throughout the adversity brought about by Covid; we couldn’t be more grateful.
Thus our general approach towards Covid as a leadership team has been hopeful and the testing circumstances have put us in a position where the only way forward is thinking and problem solving critically, creatively and adopting an optimistic mind frame.
With the enjoyment and wellbeing of our peers in the forefront of our minds it’s been a vital step for us to look on the positive side and make the best out of a difficult situation.
As one of the leading public high schools in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, spreading recognition as a public school and advocating the importance of public education is paramount for us, and we strive to continuously improve our school’s community to best facilitate an optimal, public learning space for all current and future students. For the senior Class of 2022, we are trying to enjoy our last year of high school as much as possible, making the most out of it, and using our time to work – both for ourselves and each other – towards academic and creative success, post-school career pathways and healthy, supportive relationships.
Putting one foot in front of the other is the only way forward and so we’re taking it one step at a time towards our individual and collective goals for 2022.
Reddam House
Student Judiciary Jaison Krutik, Maya Bienstock and Aaron Dong
The Reddam Judiciary has many plans for the 2022 year that will hopefully have an effect on the years to come.
We aim to unite the differing cohorts through a range of activities and co-curriculars that everyone can get involved in such as inter-year basketball matches, student debating teams and creative art projects.
We envision 2022 to be successful for the Class of 2022 as we pursue collaboration within the cohort through the sharing of materials, time and effort to strengthen the year as a whole. Recently we have created a public Instagram account showcasing to the wider community what Reddam is all about and the events planned for the future.
In the lead up to Valentine’s Day, students are able to purchase roses and cards, organised by the leadership team to make the day as special as possible.
We hope to create a more transparent and equal school environment by encouraging younger students to inform us of their ideas to make the school a better place to learn. We value their contributions. The three aspects we consider important as leaders of this school are: academics, collaboration and wellbeing. We strive for these three pillars in all our activities and hope that they are imbued into Reddam forever.
St Clare’s College Waverley
College captain Matilda Groves
For 2022 the St Clare’s vision for the year ahead surrounds embracing strengths, flaws, and empowerment from within. This year, the leadership team is all about finding and embracing empowering opportunities, realising potential, and looking within to find it.
For me personally, 2022 is a time for growth, strength, and spirit, ignited by the sisterhood that we are so lucky to share at the College. Making change, speaking out, and promoting advocacy through social justice is integral to the growth and empowerment of every young woman at the College.
Capturing the essence and passion of women around us and around the world, as College Captain, I will be dedicated to sparking every student’s light from within as they embrace their potential, through a variety of social justice and advocacy opportunities, initiatives and programs, and through the celebration of female empowerment.
As a team we are focused on shining a light on every voice, and the courage, solidarity, and sisterhood that is embedded within the charisma and journey of the College.
This year, rather than being witnesses to change, as a team we are determined that students of St Clare’s will be the instigators of change, and ignite movement, light and power from within. I could not be more grateful for such an amazing group of young women to work alongside with, and am so excited for the year ahead and the opportunities that await!
Ortolana vice-captain Antonia Lijic
At St Clare’s, 2022 will be a year for empowerment, courage, strength and growth. The college theme ‘Light from within’ places a strong emphasis on the importance of embracing our individual and collective strengths to create a connected community.
This year, we hope to encourage and inspire the community to find their light from within in order to become pillars for change.
As a team we aim to model a spirit of openness, connection and transformation within our college.
As a community, built on the foundation of sisterhood, I hope that through our leadership we are able to inspire and empower our peers to take initiative and drive the community forward.
As a member of the Ortolana team, it is our role to embrace and develop the spiritual aspects of college life, by guiding and encouraging a connection with each other and their spirituality.
By embracing our spirituality we are able to find a sense of peace, completeness and serenity while also providing balance between the social and academic elements of college life.
Through the implementation of new initiatives surrounding the idea of spiritual wellness, I hope that we will be able to highlight the importance of connection, encourage openness and resilience.
Ultimately, our vision for this year is to create a long lasting legacy that empowers future generations to be women of action and follow in the footsteps of Saint Clare to become a beacon of light and catalyst for change.
I am looking forward to working with a team of strong women and am excited to see what opportunities this year holds. “Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Bonaventure vice-captain Ava Camillos
At St Clare’s College in 2022, our vision as a school community encompasses the concepts of female empowerment, growth, strength from within and embracing individuality.
Guided by our chosen theme for the year, we aim to further perpetuate an environment of collaboration and fostering each individual’s strengths.
Working alongside two incredible prefects as part of the Bonaventure team, we are particularly focused on nurturing the academic potential of each and every student within the College, while recognising and supporting their individual strengths.
We hope to ignite a true passion for learning within students, and that students can constructively use this passion to inspire one another to work towards and achieve their goals.
We believe that every person within the College community can grow to learn from and ignite that passion within themselves.
A key area for Bonaventure’s vision in 2022 is the idea that while it is important to strive for success in the school environment, we must lift up others as opposed to solely competing.
We believe that exciting possibilities can arise from encouraging others to engage with the innovative curriculum available at St Clare’s, and we want that to be enjoyable and inclusive for each student.
Our vision is carried out through our current and upcoming initiatives, all of which focus on collaboration across year groups, and sharing the knowledge and wisdom of more experienced students with others in the community.
I am beyond lucky to be able to work alongside such an amazing leadership team, and I know that together we will be able to implement our vision for 2022 within the St Clare’s community.
Aneska vice-captain Neena Harrison
Throughout this year at St Clare’s College, we are striving to embrace courage, power and authenticity. Ignited by the college theme, we are focusing on encouraging each individual student to actively discover and demonstrate their strengths throughout 2022.
As a member of our Aneska team, it is our role to promote and support the importance of positive wellbeing throughout the college. Wellbeing is fundamental to a functioning community, and at the college we focus on the essential actions that help create a positive and healthy environment.
At its core, our long term vision is to work alongside the student body in order to ensure a healthy academic, religious and schooling life.
We will embrace the importance of empowerment continuously through the process of working together in order to help each young woman feel more capable, both individually and within our community.
I hope that for this year, we can inspire and help guide all members of the college community to place a larger emphasis on the strength of our sisterhood and support systems.
The vision our team has for 2022 is to determine and improve the balance between community and self.
It is through our team initiatives that occur regularly, that we hope to inspire and ignite other young women in not only the St Clare‘s community, but those in schools throughout the area, to demonstrate St Clare’s enduring characteristics of empathy, kindness, justness, and courage throughout 2022.
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College
School Captain Stephanie Lobo
Ever since I was a child I’ve had an excitement towards learning with my friends and being a part of a wider community filled with people who inspire me. For my last year, I hope I can use this role to inspire younger girls to make the most of their high school experience, encouraging them to take on new challenges and opportunities. I like to think I am approachable and easy to talk to, so I aim to show this through my leadership. In terms of my future job aspirations, I am unsure of my exact path, but I would love to take on a role that is science or musically based, that involves teaching and helping others.
School vice-captain Allannah Bowen
I have always loved to help and serve others as I find it so rewarding to make a difference, even a small difference, for another person. I love being part of a school community that is so welcoming with supportive teachers and a cohort of amazing young women beside me. It is a privilege to be given the opportunity to represent the student body and grow in my relationship with other student leaders through my leadership role. Through my leadership role I also hope to inspire girls to work together and to be the best version of themselves. I like to think of myself as kind, considerate and approachable, qualities I value and wish to emulate. I am still contemplating my future job aspirations but at the moment I would like to go down a medical career path so that I can help others but also because science is so amazing and interesting.
Academic Captain Charlene Ico
I’ve always understood the importance and impact of education and learning on lives, which makes me so grateful for the opportunity to hopefully inspire others to find their passions at school. I’ve done my best to be considerate of others, looking for ways to ensure everyone I meet knows they are valued and capable of great things. I plan to maintain this quality in my leadership journey in Year 12 and beyond. Currently, my future job aspirations are quite blurry, however, I do see myself going down a STEM pathway.
Stewardship Captain Shannon Moroney
I have always been deeply passionate about the environment, and I am so grateful for this opportunity as a leader to use my voice to hopefully inspire my peers with ways that they can protect the earth. I’d like to say I‘m a friendly person that people feel comfortable talking to. I hope in my last year of school I can make new friendships with girls in all year groups. Regarding my future job aspirations I am still unsure, but I am hoping to go into nursing for either people or animals.
College Sports Captain Caprice Stokes
I have always had a passion for sport, dedicating my time to Surf Life Saving. I have been both a passionate competitor and an active patrol member. Through this I have developed an understanding of the importance of integration in the community and the benefits of a physically active lifestyle. In my role I endeavour to encourage others to fully immerse themselves in various sporting, cultural and educational activities within both the school and community. Giving my willingness to assist others I can see myself pursuing a career in the health sector.
College SRC President Emily Tattershall
I take pride in being the voice for other students, and look towards building, instilling and fostering positive relationships with all people I meet. I have learnt that the key to success is the passion you invest, and as a leader of the college I hope to encourage others to do the same. To me, being a leader is about paving the way and inspiring others to follow, to celebrate the accomplishments each of us achieve and to learn valuable lessons from our challenges. Once I finish school, I see myself pursuing a career in primary education, influencing our younger students of the world to take pride in their education and turn their passions into a reality.
Arts and Culture Captain Antonija Kiseli
I strive to instil positive relationships among the college, emulate the beliefs and foundations of the College charisma and work towards living out the OLSH faith and tradition, revealing what it truly means to be an OLSH girl. I hope with these qualities, to create a positive environment and community at the college, allowing girls to pursue excellence and become the young women of the future. In terms of my future job aspirations, I am currently wishing to pursue a career in engineering to advocate the importance of women achieving success and breaking social expectations.
South Sydney High School (in the words of Principal Janice Neilsen)
Captain Lahni Noy
A motivated and responsible leader, Lahni is continuing to build upon skills developed in her junior years as a student ambassador and prefect. She is passionate about promoting the positive aspects of her school to junior students and members of the local community. Lahni is currently balancing her school captain duties with her classroom requirements as she works towards the goal of securing a place in a Bachelor of Life Science at UNSW in 2023.
Captain Jacob Cross
Experience as a prefect, student ambassador, SRC member and volunteer has prepared Jacob to be an exceptional school leader. His teachers describe him as a model student; mature, hard working, and highly organised. Jacob, too, is balancing his time between leading the school and striving for academic excellence as he works towards achieving his goals of entering a Biomedical Engineering degree in 2023.
Vice-captain Cheryl Clarete
Cheryl also has a strong background in school leadership, holding positions as a student ambassador, prefect and school volunteer in her junior years.
“I strive to be an outstanding role model for my younger siblings, and for students at our school. Using this leadership position to support organisations like our local women’s shelter has been a very rewarding experience”.
A driven and diligent student, Cheryl aims to enter the medical profession in some shape or form after the completion of her HSC this year.
Vice-captain Ryan Hescott
A people person who is a very responsible leader, has leadership experience as a house leader, prefect and Peer Support leader. Ryan is also a talented and successful athlete representing the school in numerous sports. Ryan is a hardworking and dedicated scholar who sets high standards for himself and is a leader in the classroom. Ryan is working hard to seek entry into a Biomedical Engineering degree in 2023.
Champagnat Catholic College Pagewood
College Captain Patrick Ghazal (in the words of College Principal Craig Mooney)
Patrick is a friendly and humble leader who has been widely involved in College life in areas such as sport, SRC, youth ministry and debating. He is a trustworthy student who inspires others to do their best, and he enjoys helping others. To this end, Patrick would like to attend USYD, UNSW or Macquarie University next year to study Education (Religion and English).
Vice-captain Benjamin Valdeabella (in the words of College Principal Craig Mooney)
Ben’s talents and determination see him aspiring to study either Criminal or Civil law next year at UNSW, ACU or USYD. He is a responsible and respectful student, who works hard in his studies and extra-curricular activities. Ben has been involved in music, debating, public speaking and youth ministry over his time at the College and displays empathy in all his interactions.
Vice-captain Christopher Winkle (in the words of College Principal Craig Mooney)
Chris is a relational and reliable student, whose hard work and resolve to do well has seen him achieve in his studies, sport, music and other activities at the College. He is an excellent communicator, and displays passion and commitment to all he undertakes. Chris is aiming to undertake studies in either the Medical or Engineering Science faculties next year at either USYD or UNSW.
Randwick Girls’ High School
SRC Captain Nicole Thwaites
I feel as though I have good organisational qualities and can use my interpersonal skills to make others’ voices heard. I love to problem solve and look at issues from various perspectives which assists in making good decisions. I also have good English and public speaking skills, meaning I can effectively present ideas and maximise the possibility of change.
I also understand that leadership involves a lot of listening, especially during the pandemic where it has been important for other leaders to listen to students in order to improve online learning conditions.
I also like to think that I inspire the younger students at the school, helping to excite them about their high school journey. As well as that demonstrate that as young women, they can demonstrate that they have power and they have a voice.
I aim to pursue a career in STEM and attend university in Sydney. This will encompass a lot of teamwork and leadership skills which I feel I have learnt over my time at school and working as a school leader.
I see our school becoming more sustainable, not only this year but in years to come as the climate crisis continues to worry the younger generation, leading students to want to make sustainable change. I also see that our school will continue to embrace diversity, through efforts such as the new Indigenous garden which is a wonderful way to immerse students in the culture of our first nation’s people.
I think Randwick Girls’ High School is doing a great job at inspiring young girls to come up with ideas, be passionate and become the leaders of tomorrow.
SRC Vice-Captain Natasha Ward
I’ve been in the SRC in previous years, and I’m so excited to start my role with a significant leadership role in the school, to help bring ideas from the students into reality, so we can have a school where everyone is able to learn and interact with one another at the best level. As a leader I am very determined, my career in elite athletics has boosted this need for achieving not only my goals, but the goals of the SRC and the school as a whole! I’m a very easy to talk to person, who gets along with, well, I like to think everyone. This enables me as a leader to be the connection between the school and change as I am not only bursting with my own ideas, but I’m more than happy to bring the ideas of members across the whole school into immediate action.
In 2022 I want to be the vice-captain everyone remembers, of course for the positive things, but I also want to be the big sister that all the younger members of the school that leaves Randwick Girls’ inspiring and touching each and every one of them. I want to build this school into a place where each student feels like they belong and is able to blossom into the successful young woman they will graduate this school as.
Since I was very young I’ve always known I wanted to be an author. I love creating stories, weaving together characters and setting into an intricate plot. I’m always writing, which is why I study four units of English and I feel like this is something I really want to make a career out of, as one day I want to be a famous author, so watch out for my name on the New York Times bestseller’s list!
Also, I at the moment am a national class middle distance runner, I train everyday and compete all the time. Running is such a huge part of my life, and not only do I feel connected to the sport, and the freedom it brings me but also the relationships it has given me, from my friends to my coaches, to the girls I compete against, track brings so much to my life, and everyday I push myself that one nudge harder, I feel that little bit faster. Currently with multiple state medals and titles, I’m aiming for a place at Australian National Championships, and after that a scholarship to study in the United States, where I hope to build my abilities to compete internationally, and pursue my sport at a professional level.
SRC President Leticia Cruickshank
I’m the SRC president and I have been at RGHS since 2017. My leadership qualities include being confident especially in public speaking, always being organised, passionate and of course caring which has helped me continue to be an effective leader at school even through the challenging Covid times. This passion for my fellow classmates and my school drives me to always take the time to plan improvements and meet with executives, mayors ect in order to get my message across.
The future career paths that I am considering include sciences like bio/chemistry fields which could include marine biology as I love the ocean and surfing, I am also thinking about the marine or bio research fields, genetic engineering and psychology. I strongly believe that the opportunities in science are really endless especially for me who loves the outdoors and water.
My hope is to continue to spread the word about the need for a female single sex public school like Randwick that has almost 1000 attendees. My hope is to educate our future generations to raise strong female leaders like us who will hopefully continue to make improvements in areas such as the education system and sustainability, forever broadening career and sporting opportunities for girls. It‘s important to let no one take these opportunities away from us.
SRC Vice President Kirsten Tang
Personally, I pride myself in my ability to listen and communicate with others. I feel that this is a necessary skill to be a good leader as this is the only way we can enact change that is truly needed or wanted. I believe that one of my leadership strengths is that I am compassionate and really value the various perspectives that we can get from other people which ultimately shapes our understanding of the world. I hope to take these values, along with my other qualities, into the new year to improve the learning environment at Randwick Girls’ High School. Currently, I am looking at pursuing a career in Law and Media/Public Relations or even Digital Communications but who knows? For 2022, I would love to see Randwick Girls’ further embrace the diversity in our school and be even more politically/culturally aware than we are at the moment.
SRC Secretary Felicity Chard
I am a year 12 student from Randwick Girls High School. I have studied at RGHS since year 7 and am currently a part of the SRC with the key responsibility of Secretary.
As a leader, I have the ability to successfully communicate with my teachers and peers. Despite the difficulty of the pandemic, I have used my organisational skills to persevere through online learning. My passionate and optimistic views have assisted me in effectively collaborating with others in the aim to build a stronger school community. Following my high school graduation, I aspire to attend university to study occupational therapy.
Throughout this process, I will use the leadership qualities I have developed from the SRC to continue through the next stage of my life. Despite the challenges we have faced in previous years, I am hopeful that 2022 will be a successful and productive year. I am hopeful that Randwick Girls’ High school will continue to grow and develop through the help of all leaders, staff and students. I am looking forward to seeing what 2022 has to offer for my final year of schooling and for the entire Randwick Girls High School community.
SRC Treasurer Heidi Jones
I’m a Year 12 member of the SRC at Randwick Girls’ High School. I’m a dedicated person who fulfils my responsibilities and is always eager to serve the school and community in any way I can. I have been a member of the SRC for three years now, but unfortunately much of that time has been affected by the pandemic. I really hope that this year we will be able to hold more events and fundraisers and re immerse the SRC leaders into the school community. I’ve always been interested in studying abroad and exchange trips and again they’ve had to be put on hold for the past few years, but I really hope that travel will become safer so students graduating this year and the years to come will have the opportunity to experience and learn from new cultures overseas.
SRC Year 11 Senior Publicity Officer Amy Simmonds
I am a year 11 student at Randwick Girls’ High School. I am a member of the SRC and my role is the Senior Publicity officer. I have been a member of the SRC since 2019 and over the years have learnt many leadership skills. I am an active member of the school community and strive to make this a positive learning environment for my peers. I am very committed to the school and love to help out in any way possible. After I graduate from Randwick Girls’ I hope to go to university to study Nursing. If my time at Randwick Girls has taught me anything it is that I am capable of anything as I work hard and try my best. The skills that I have learnt while on the SRC will stay with me and help guide me through life.
I am very hopeful for 2022 and all the opportunities to come along with it. Due to the pandemic, over the past two years the school has been through various lockdowns and has faced many restrictions. If anything this experience has brought the school community closer. My goals for 2022 are to further strengthen this community and to further bring out the school spirit.
Year 12 leader – Talia Akbaba
I feel that with my assistance, I can help students reach their goals to the best of my ability, as well as get students more involved with one another, as certain students may struggle to fit in.
I frequently volunteer for leadership positions and want to make this school a better place than it already is. I believe I am an excellent leader because of my experience and passion. I aim to do all in my power to reduce bullying, boost student engagement in school, and improve overall academic accomplishment. Being a good representative is staying in touch with what students want at all times, and standing up for decisions when necessary. and working out the details with other students, teachers and the principal. Being a member of the SRC Team entails more than just getting together every now and then to explore ideas.
Year 12 leader – Zoe Burke
This will be my second consecutive year in SRC and I‘m so thankful I can have some part in leading the school within my last year. My main aspiration this year is to bring back school spirit within the regular days, not just large events; and further leave an impact on the school community with something they can laugh at in 20 years time. I’ve always been a collaborative leader and enjoy piecing others ideas together to create a product everyone loves, this is mainly done within my drama class and creating collaborative performances. I love the feeling that SRC gives me when all the representatives from each year work together for the school and have the chance to improve other students’ time within Randwick Girls High. Being able to have the chance to do something important for Randwick has given me purpose and joy within this school community.
My future aspirations include going to film school and having the chance to direct a motion picture of my own and for people to appreciate my art, in return that they become inspired to create art themselves, from the small things within their everyday lives. I also wish to continue my acting and painting to further develop my skills and strengthen my passions in both fields of the art world. I am not sure what the future holds for me within the years to come and that idea is scary at times, but the excitement is far greater and I cannot wait to officially begin my journey of life.
Year 12 leader – Anna Dai
I am a proud member of the SRC at Randwick Girls High School. My hobbies are sewing, knitting, reading, writing and cooking. I think my biggest skills are that I am good at communicating and I frequently interact with my fellow peers. Times have been trying both inside and outside of school due to Covid-19 and everyone has had to adjust a lot of things in our lives, however with the help of the school and the government, I was able to persevere and make good headway towards my future goals of becoming an English teacher in foreign countries like Japan and hopefully eventually becoming a lecturer to help educate the next generation of youths and young adults.
Year 12 leader – Khushi Kaur
I’m a Year 12 SRC leader and have been a part of the Randwick Girls’ high school community since Year 7. As a leader, I want to focus on developing others and listen to everyone’s ideas to make Randwick Girls a better place for the future. I want to be able to gain a new skill set that will be applicable to my future career opportunities. My aim is to become a real estate agent and help people find the perfect home. I have good communication skills and love connecting with the people around me.
As we all know Covid-19 has been a really tough and challenging time for all of us. Learning at home was not easy, but everyone fought through it. Let’s hope in 2022 we will not have to face the challenges we have faced in the previous years and that we have the opportunity to continue to make our Randwick a better place.
Year 12 leader – Alieza Magsino
This year is the start of my journey of being a part of the SRC in Randwick Girls High School and I’m so thankful to be a part of this role. In my role as a school leader, I’ve gained qualities of quick thinking, organisation and teamwork. It has motivated me to take responsibility for the younger year groups and guide them to create a better environment for Randwick Girls High School. My future aspirations are to become more involved in the hospitality industry as it’ll support my expansion of creativity with food as well as working with others. In the future, I would also like to travel around the world, experience life in various different countries and to live my life with as many experiences as possible. With Covid, it has impacted many people, including myself. The lack of socialising and challenges of online learning demotivated many students and caused chaos throughout these years. My hope for 2022 is for an improvement and hope we don’t have to face these challenges again. I hope to also maintain motivation for school as well as my HSC and focus more on myself. I also hope my involvement with the SRC in 2022 provides a better environment for Randwick Girls.
Year 11 leader – Keira McNeill
I am a proud member of the Randwick Girls’ community. Starting my fifth year in high school I look back and see how the school has defined me in both my personal aspirations and the future of my schooling career. Through various fundraisers for charities and organisations of our choice we are able to, as a small member of a school, create a big impact on a larger scale. I look forward to setting an example for the younger generation and inspiring girls to pursue leadership positions in school and in the workplace. I believe that confidence in voicing yourself and others is vital in being a leader; and as a member of the SRC I’m surrounded by intelligent and like minded students. I think it is more important than ever for our generation to actively voice ourselves and represent our age demographic in the media. With the emergence of technology and social media we have more access to information and an open amount of positions we can take as members of not only school but society.
My avid interest in modern politics, the arts, history and writing have inspired me to pursue a path in journalism, with film being my dream job. I hope to perhaps become a movie director or museum curator. Widening the perspective in which women, people of colour and our youth are represented in the media and arts are issues I carry close to my heart. I hope to write about the experiences of others, and perhaps one day I will be the one writing the newspaper articles. I’m excited to see what 2022 has in offer for me.
Year 11 leader – Maria Amorim
I’m currently in year 11 and this is my first year in the SRC at Randwick Girls’ high school, where I have been made to feel more than welcome by teachers and the school community. I think as a student I‘m very focused and dedicated to my school work, and I’m very good at communicating with others and working in groups. However, I hope that my first year in SCR and my last two years in high school will allow me to improve my leadership, communication and listening skills, where I hope I reach the goals I have for myself. After I graduate high school I plan on going to university to study nursing where I think the skills I have learnt in SRC will help me improve as a person to help other people as much as I can in the best way I can. In 2022 I hope that I get to share many new memories and experiences with my family and friends as I think this is as important to add to the person I am and will become.
SCEGGS Darlinghurst
Head Prefect Clementine Hooper and Deputy Head Prefect Lucia Gelonesi
We believe the greatest thing any school can do for anyone is to encourage its students to be authentically themselves. As leaders, we will do everything in our power to nurture a school community where people feel cared for, valued and heard. We are absolutely committed to this.
SCEGGS’ school values are best encapsulated in our school motto, Let Your Light Shine. The motto reminds us that building a flourishing life and demonstrating genuine leadership, are not about fleeting personal glory or superficial popularity, they’re about living through the values of compassion, humility, love, forgiveness, and service. As school leaders, we believe it is vitally important to maintain critical awareness at all times, to be less complacent and more curious, to constantly question our certainties and assumptions. To be alive to people’s needs and vulnerabilities.
Caring for our fellow students’ welfare, deepening their sense of belonging, building their knowledge that they are not facing problems by themselves, are our leadership resolutions. It means a great deal to us that students enjoy their time at SCEGGS.
We are committed to creating a robust and inclusive culture at our school, where girls can be serious and morally courageous when they need to be, but lighthearted, playful and irreverent when that’s called for, too. We want them to have the freedom to belong, but also when necessary, to stand apart. To observe, to reflect and to (respectfully) but firmly dissent.
To gain a more profound understanding of human frailty, and of what it is to be a truly good person.
The Scots College
Scots College Head Prefect Jack Hawthorne
As the Head Prefects of 2022, our vision is to re-engage with pre-pandemic structures. We want to reignite the culture that has been hidden for the past couple of years. We are working hard to make the best out of our final year, and to make sure that we leave a legacy that will last a lifetime. We are all super excited for the year ahead!
It was a privilege to be named Head Prefect for 2022. It has meant so much to me, my family, and in particular, my grandfather who is a Scots Old Boy. Coming from a very small school in the Riverina, where there were three students alongside me in Year 7, my move to The Scots College, in Year 8, as a boarder, was exciting and daunting. I was lucky to have William Purvis (Year 12), from Bathurst, who was also starting Scots – in the same year, and in the same boarding house. Now, he is the House Captain of Aspinall House, and also the Head Boarder Prefect. Working together is something that I’m really looking forward to.
Alongside us, our Deputy Head Prefect, Ryan Zylstra (Year 12) has been at the College his entire schooling life, and able to give plenty of insight about it. Our Head Day Boy Prefect, Sam Berckelman (Year 12), has been named Captain of Boats for 2022 and is a member of the Scots 1st XV Rugby team.
Marcellin College Randwick
The Year 12 Leadership team at Marcellin College pride ourselves on the relationships we have developed over the years. A good leadership team doesn’t work unless you have good mateship. We have a good internal cohesion with our peers and have great rapport with our teachers. Having experienced challenges over the past few years with the Covid-19 pandemic, our focus this year is to establish reconnections within the school community. Our philosophy on leadership stems from our core values, our Marist Charism, our student voice and School culture.
Bodyslams, beer, biffo: Footy, wrestling collide at Henson Park
From the sister of an NRL star to some of the best trash talkers in the business, PWA’s signature wrestling chaos is back at Henson Park as part of the Beer Footy Food Festival.
Redfern house doubles in value after reno
A Redfern terrace has doubled in value in just five years after a reno and another very significant change nearby.