School leaders of Sydney’s inner west: Marrickville High, Newtown High Performing Arts
Meet our future prime ministers, captains of industry and world changers. The inner west student leaders of 2022 share their vision for their schools – and beyond.
Inner West
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It’s been two years of upheaval for schools and students with Covid, work-from-home measures and all sorts of restrictions. But the future looks bright with an incredible group of student leaders from Sydney’s inner west 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:
Marrickville High School
Ena Debnath (Year 12 – School Captain)
As school captain, Ena leads the student body at Marrickville High School and she’s aware of the responsibility the role brings.
“Being a leader means handling the responsibility of both being a good role model and guiding others into the responsibilities that align with their roles,” Ena said.
When her time at school ends, she’s keen to try her hand across different areas, but at the same time immersing herself in these too.
“My aspiration, at its core, is to improve my skills set and values of chasing stimulus from new environments and cultures to its highest degree,” Ena said.
“I aspire to study Law, or alternatively, I want to pursue being an educator, possibly specialising in the study of English.”
Ena’s both creative and objective in her problem solving, something the Inner West Courier is sure to stand her in good stead.
“I aim to be non-biased in all facets of life and to deliver creative solutions,” she said.
Ahmet Tekin (Year 12 – Vice-captain)
Ahmet is vice-captain at Marrickville High and is aware of the importance and facets of school leadership.
“For me, being a leader means being a good communicator, being able to think creatively and critically, resolve issues and to be trustworthy,” he said.
“With these skills, I want to help my classmates, teachers and school staff make Marrickville High School an even better place for everyone to enjoy and learn together.”
He is always keen to marry the skills of communication with critical thinking, attempting to use these in each area of life.
“Something interesting about me is being able to communicate with everyone, I can just go up to a person and start chatting about anything,” Ahmet said.
“Also, being able to critically think and solve problems and I love to use technology to create things such as video games and artwork.”
His focus currently is to continue to make the school a great place to learn.
“My aspirations are to do things in school that will make school a better place,” Ahmet said.
“These can be running events in school such as movie night, Jeans for Genes Day and Wear it Purple Day. From the money collected from these events we try improve a part of the school and use it in a productive way.
“My personal aspirations are to enter university and pursue my passion for STEM, with these skills I want help to improve my neighbourhood and community.”
Benjamin Tomkins – (Year 12 – Vice-captain)
Benjamin is another vice-captain at Marrickville High, and leadership has always been important to him.
“Being a leader is something that has been important to me throughout my school career, leading by example is probably one of the most important aspects of leading,” Benjamin said.
While not having a specific one thing in mind, he’d be eager to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“I’ve never really had a clear idea of what I wanted to do after school but law enforcement agencies such as federal police or the sheriff's office,” Ben said.
Even today, he’s volunteering to improve the community space.
“Something interesting about me is that I volunteer with the NSW SES (State Emergency Service) and I am currently the administration officer, responsible for the running of day to day administration functions and tasks,” Ben said.
Newtown High School of the Performing Arts
Stella Clarkson – (School Captain)
Stella is one of two school captains at Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (NHSPA), and her thoughts on leadership are detailed and varied.
“To me, being a leader means staying true to yourself while making decisions in light of what is most beneficial for those around you,” she said.
“I also think that such a big part of being a leader is facilitating personal vulnerability. From experience, I know that I am much more inclined to listen to the words of those who position themselves as equal, making empathy and vulnerability two of my primary values when in a position of influence.
“As this vulnerability opens doors for mutual understanding, a firmer connection to the people that surround me in turn facilitates my ability to be infinitely educated on the issues faced by such people.”
Looking beyond school, Stella is looking to swap the classroom for the theatre and stage.
“Proceeding the completion of Year 12 and my HSC, my prevailing goal is to dance full-time with the hope of eventually moving to Europe to dance professionally in a classical or contemporary company,” she said.
“Despite my passion for dance, I am grateful to be completing my HSC alongside my dance training this year, enabling me to keep my options open for additional future careers possibly in physiotherapy or political journalism.”
While she is immersed in the community in Newtown, she lives north of the Harbour Bridge, and has an eclectic stamp collection in her passport.
“As much as I adore my school and the wider Newtown community, I don’t actually live in the Inner-West area,” Stella explained.
“Based in Manly on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, I happily travel to and from Newtown every day to take advantage of my school’s exemplary performing arts program, being an aspiring dancer myself.
“Back in Manly I am a volunteer surf lifesaver part of the Manly Life Saving Club, and in 2019 I was awarded runner-up at the Sydney Northern Beaches Junior Lifesaver of the Year awards.
“I was also born in the UK and have since lived in four countries … likely a contributor to my burning desire to travel as much as I can after school!”
Amity Lees – (School Captain)
Amity is also school captain at Newtown High, and she’s aware of the responsibility that comes with being a student leaders, as well as the need to always be looking to help others.
“It is crucial for a leader to not only think about themselves but others, as you will always need people’s help; a leader is not a leader unless they accomplish a community’s goals,” she said.
“Without searching anything up on the internet this is what a leader means to me; a leader listens, is involved, actively learns, open, honest, empathetic, passionate, influences others, inspires and ‘leads’ people in a positive direction to benefit all.
“A leader takes shape in all sorts of ways, they don’t always have to be the loudest in the room. All it takes is a real drive and some ideas that will naturally engage others and will eventually become a ‘leader’ figure.”
She’s keen to use all she’s learned at school, keeping the skills and lessons with her throughout life.
“Like many people my age, I still don’t know exactly what I want to do,” Amity admitted.
“It is such a big world out there with many opportunities and different paths, all I know for sure, is that I want to continue communicating with others, sharing ideas, being challenged and always learning.
“I know that I want to be a great leader of NHSPA, support the teachers and students with my co-captain, Stella, and the incredible prefect team.
“I’d love to be a good role model, work hard, help others and achieve results that I’m proud of to keep my options open as I don’t know what I want to do beyond high school. I want to learn as much as I possibly can through this experience as captain and develop skills that I will use in the workforce.
“I hope to be successful, happy and proud of whatever field I end up in. I hope I can still ‘lead’ in some form as I truly love it and would be lost without that connection to others!”
She’s got a varied set of hobbies and interests, including examining some of philosophy's enduring questions.
“I have two dogs, Lizzy, who can play soccer and Lorelai (based on Gilmore Girls – my favourite show) who can sing,” Amity said.
“I love my air fryer, as it’s easy to use and quick to clean for when I’m experimenting with different recipes.
“I’ve also had a particular interest in philosophy for quite some time and I’m always questioning what makes us … us?”
August Johnson
August is another leader at NHSPA and said leadership is all about the help you can provide to people.
“Being a leader means helping people no matter what, and aiming to elevate the smaller voices,” they said.
“Help shed light on people, communities and issues that don’t often get that spotlight.
“For me, it also means teamwork, you cannot lead if you do not have a team to lead. It’s all about collaboration, and aiming to help each other. It’s all about rising each other up, and not bringing anyone down.”
August is eager to pursue further study in the theatre field at university, but is keen to keep as many doors open as possible.
“Currently, I intend on pursuing acting or stage management at university,” August said.
“The end goal would to either be able to make a living acting, hopefully within stage theatre, or to one day own my own small theatre that houses and rents to small production companies and artists.
“I want to create a safe place for artists from all walks of life, a place where we can all come together.”
August explained they’re non-binary, and was also born over the other side of the world.
“I identify as non-binary, which means I don’t identify as male or female,” August said.
“I was born in the UK. and intend on moving back there once I’ve completed my HSC, hopefully to study but we’ll see what happens!
“I’ve been performing since aged six, and started specialising in acting in 2014. I’ve been on multiple trips around Australia and the states for classes, and participated in competitions.”
Fort Street High School
Chantelle Hoang – (SRC Vice-President), Alyssa Khaw – (SRC President)
Alyssa is the Student Representative Council (SRC) president at Fort Street and is committed to social justice and the community.
“I am involved in many extracurriculars such as athletics, future leaders for gender equality, various sports teams and charity committee,” she said.
“I am a young carer which heavily influences my leadership, putting a strong commitment to social justice and inclusivity at the forefront of my actions.
“I am passionate about providing opportunities for students, to ensure they reach their full potential and be their best selves.”
As president, Alyssa wants to try and always think about ways to prioritise wellbeing among her peers.
“Students’ wellbeing is of the utmost importance and creating an enjoyable school environment by raising school spirit and connecting students is pivotal,” she said.
“I hope to develop a strong sense of school community, to ensure all students feel supported, and want to foster and inspire a new generation of confident and compassionate leaders.”
Chantelle Hoang (SRC Vice-President)
Chantelle is the vice-president at the SRC at Fort Street High and said she’s happy to have been given the chance to lead.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead at Fort Street because I'm able to make more meaningful contributions to the school and I’m always keen to help out where I can,” she said.
“My main goal for my tenure is to improve student wellbeing and connection through new events and initiatives.”
Looking past the classroom, she’s keen to keep her path full of opportunities.
“I’m interested in first aid, volunteering, business and maths,” Chantelle said.
“So in terms of future goals, I hope to pursue multiple career paths which pertain to those interests.”
Meriden School
Adele Dang – (Year 12 – Head Prefect)
Adele is the head prefect at Meriden School and has thrown herself into all the responsibilities of head prefect.
“As a student leader I work together with the other prefects in order to plan activities for the school, such as small initiatives throughout the term to celebrate our return face-to-face after online learning, or to celebrate our 125th anniversary as a school,” she said.
“We also serve the school community through helping students across grades and in acting as a role model for behaviour and uniform expectations.”
After school, Adele is keen to head to the capital and develop her skills at university.
“I would like to go to university in Canberra to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics before embarking on a career focusing on diplomatic relations, economics or policy advising,” she said.
“I think sometimes people fail to see the importance of relationships between countries and policy decisions made by the government in affecting the lives of every citizen.”
Adele has a multinational background and loves travelling.
“I was born in Hong Kong and I moved to Australia around seven years ago,” she explained.
“I love to travel the world, especially Japan, although I haven’t left Australia in a few years since the border closures!”
Lael Sakalaukas – (Year 11 – House Service Officer)
Lael is 16, the eldest of her siblings, and particularly enjoys the subject of history at Meriden. As house service officer, she has myriad responsibilities in her role.
“As a school leader, I must stay organised and I am growing my skills in communication,” she said.
“I have responsibilities to contact peers, teachers and other organisations to assist in events, and to communicate my ideas to them all.
“I don’t believe I would have gained experience in communicating in this way if I didn’t get involved as a leader in school.”
When she graduates, she’s keen to never loses her sense of joy and her drive.
“I have no direct plans for my life after school and simply aim to follow in what I genuinely enjoy doing,” Lael said.
“I’ve always been someone who enjoys taking on responsibilities and leading people, so I could definitely see myself as a future manager.
“In whatever I do, I aim to not lose my sense of joy and accomplishment.”
Adelaide Loane – (Year 11 – House Captain)
Adelaide is a house captain at Meriden and said when she’s not playing touch football or reading Kathy Reichs novels, she’s spending time studying snippets of Norwegian and drinking strong tea.
As a house captain and cadet, she understands the importance of lasting relationships.
“As a student leader in Meriden’s Cadet program, I am involved in the execution of afternoon parade as the Company Sergeant Major (CSM) of a company,” Adelaide said.
“In the role of CSM, my primary responsibilities are to develop company drill, dress and discipline throughout the year.
“Additionally, I set out to build and maintain well-founded, communicative relationships between recruits and rank, connecting young leaders with experienced mentors.”
After Meriden, Adelaide is keen to use what she’s learned to continue to give back to society.
“Following the completion of my HSC, I hope to spend a year serving with Mercy Ships prior to pursuing health-related tertiary studies,” she said.
Bethlehem College
Elizabeth Farhat – (Year 12 – School Captain)
Elizabeth is school captain at Bethlehem College and she’s in tune with what a leadership role entails.
“As a school leader, I always strive to be a role model for others, particularly by engaging with our community, respecting and listening to others and promoting Bethlehem’s Catholic values,” Elizabeth said.
“To ensure students feel welcomed, heard and involved, I encourage them to participate in the broad range of opportunities offered at our great school, just as I have.”
Elizabeth has also thrown herself into everything that the college has to offer.
“Since year 7, I have proudly participated in a range of opportunities offered at Bethlehem including debating, rosary group and peer support group,” she said.
“These opportunities extend into my passion for sports, including touch football, netball, basketball and cross country.”
Elizabeth is hoping to enter the legal world after school, while retaining and utilising the leadership skills she’s learned.
“After high school, I aspire to study Law and Commerce at University as I have always been intrigued by the multifaceted nature of the legal system, achieving social justice and communicating with others,” she said.
“Beyond my years at Bethlehem, I will continue my journey of leadership using the skills I have acquired from many unforgettable opportunities and experiences.”
Natalia Tartak – (Year 12 – Spirituality Prefect)
Natalia is a member of the college leadership team at Bethlehem, having been elected to represent the community as the spirituality leader.
“As the Spirituality Prefect I strive to strengthen and unite student faith,” she said.
“Student leadership to me is a gift of service and knowledge which I am able to share with others.
“Leadership has provided me with a platform to enrich the College community, strengthen student bonds as well as empower young women of the 21st Century – being a student leader enables me to motivate, inspire and guide my peers to be independent young women with great ambition for the future.”
After school, she’s keen to put what she’s learned to use in aiding others.
“My aspirations after school are to venture into the legal or business field, mainly specialising in commercial law,” Natalia said.
“This is of great interest to me as I am extremely passionate about redeeming the rights and integrity of others.
“I am forever grateful for my leadership role, which has enabled me to gain new skills and experiences which will benefit my future studies and career.”
Alexia Vidotto – (Year 12 – Vice Captain)
Alexia is college vice captain at Bethlehem and an important tenet of her idea of leadership centres around involving others.
“Part of my ethos as a student leader is to provide inclusion, belonging and a sense of acceptance to all students regardless of their backgrounds and experiences,” she said.
“I am an active listener and always encourage others to reach their full potential by stepping out of their comfort zone (it’s a cosy space but the more we push ourselves the more we can achieve).
“I fully believe in providing young aspiring leaders of this generation a chance to experience leadership opportunities, as it will enable them to gain social and communication skills for the future that they have ahead of them.”
She’s keen to motivate others at school, making them feel welcome and feel as part of the community.
“As the Vice Captain of the college I enjoy motivating students to bring change into their lives and make each individual feel included, empowered and welcomed into our school community,” Alexia said.
After school she has her eyes on a career in medicine, but also has a wide range of interests alongside this aim.
“One of my aspirations after secondary education is to major in a medical degree, and also take on an art/animation degree on the side,” Alexia said.
“My personal interests include anatomical studies, astrological studies, bingeing kids tv series and anime, and jamming to some amazing tunes!”
Natasha Soueid – (Faith Formation Leader)
Natasha has been a student at Bethlehem since 2017 and is the current faith formation leader.
“I have involved myself in our school’s extensive leadership program throughout my time at the college,” she said.
“My current leadership role as the college’s faith formation leader consists of event planning, supporting other leaders and serving others as best I can.”
Natasha noted the welcoming atmosphere at Bethlehem as a key characteristic of the school.
“Our Bethlehem environment is a kind and welcoming one where we constantly strive to inspire and help one another, and my favourite aspect of my role is the opportunities we have to collaborate and engage with the younger students,” she said.
“My senior leadership role has taught me so much about being a responsible role model as we work together to help shape the faith and experience of all students at our college.
“Leadership at the college, especially in my senior years, has taught me so much about collaborative thinking, communication and organisation, traits I know will be key in my aspirations to study management after I graduate.”
Niamh McMahon – (Year 12 – Sport Captain)
Niamh is Bethlehem’s sport captain and member of the student executive team, she’s competed at state and national levels in cross country, athletics, AFL and touch football, among others.
“I am humbled and privileged to be a part of the leadership team as it allows me to be the voice of the voiceless and provides me with the platform to assist both students and staff along a journey towards success and happiness,” Niamh said.
“Bethlehem College provides an endless number of opportunities to every student and I have been fortunate enough to oversee and take part in many of these.
“I believe that my leadership role and continuous involvement in college life will continue to shape who I become as a person and pave my way towards prosperity and success for life within and beyond the college gates.”
In the future, Niamh is keen to marry university studies with her interest and skills in the sporting sphere.
“My aspiration for the next stage of life after school is to compete at the highest level possible in sport whilst studying at university,” she said.
“I believe I will be able to achieve this because I am very determined and dedicated.”
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