Meet the 2023 school leaders from north shore primary, high schools
School leaders from across the north shore have shared their hopes for 2023, from young sports stars to budding musicians. Meet this year’s inspiring young leaders:
North Shore
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With another school year well underway, the north shore‘s newest school leaders are demonstrating their leadership skills and taking on extra responsibilities as captains and vice captains.
From sports stars to tech wonderkids, young stars from across the region have shared what they are looking forward to in 2023, and what they hope to achieve as school leaders.
Meet the region’s young leaders for 2023 here.
QUEENWOOD MOSMAN
CHARLOTTE HOCKING
I’m head prefect at Queenwood and with Helena (our Vice Head) we lead our prefect body and captains to organise school-based student activities. We aim to set an example for our peers and junior girls by embodying our school values of Truth, Courage and Service and are our school’s student representatives in the broader community.
Late in Term 3 of Year 11, the teachers and students from Year 10 to 12 vote on 14 girls to represent our school as a prefect body. Those girls are then interviewed by our principal, deputy principal and year co-ordinator, asked to write a newsletter article and nominate their prefect role preferences to determine our position.
I’ve been fortunate to have such inspiring role models throughout my time at Queenwood. As a red shoe girl (QW since kindy), I’ve grown up with the most supportive, kind year group I could ask for. If anything, I wanted to be a prefect to emulate the values of these girls I’ve admired all these years, to be a face in the crowd other girls knew they could approach and care for the school community that has given me so much.
I feel most at home singing, dancing and acting and I’ve been fortunate to have supportive teachers in drama and music who have fostered my love of performing. I also love learning, whether it be biology, history, literature (no one can beat Virginia Woolf), theory of knowledge … We have some amazing discussions in the classroom! Most of all, I love the girls around me and their vibrant personalities. This year our main objective was to empower these girls to lead, through empathy, initiative and the values instilled in us from kindy – truth, courage and service. I’ve learnt a lot from their stories and the way these girls have taken on challenges, no matter how small.
HELENA KAREDIS
I am vice head prefect at Queenswood. Along with our head prefect, we help with leading our prefect and captain team to assist with the extensive number of initiatives our school uncovers. We aim to set an example to our peers and the younger students as to the character a Queenwood girl should display in correspondence with our values of truth, courage and service.
Our prefect team, comprising fourteen girls, was elected by the teachers, Year 12s, Year 10s and our Year 11 cohort. From there, we all were interviewed by our principal, deputy principal and year co-ordinator as to what positions we were interested in, and they delegated us our positions.
As a girl who has been at Queenwood since kindergarten, I’ve had the privilege of growing up around the same gorgeous community of girls and I could always say with confidence that I felt included and supported by them. This instigated a deep compassion for the people in my year group and even extended to the girls and teachers at my school, thus inspiring me to represent and care for them as one of their leaders.
As alluded to, one of my passions at school is my friends and peers, I really value their company and it will be sad to say goodbye at the end of this school year. As embarrassing as it is to admit, maths is also one of my biggest school-related passions! I love how consistent it is! This year I want to do as well as I can. As long as I can confidently say I worked as hard as I could, I’ll feel accomplished.
SAINT IGNATIUS’ COLLEGE RIVERVIEW
SEBASTIAN WONG
I’ve been lucky enough to have led Saint Ignatius’ College Riverview as the College Captain for 2023. My main role is to represent all students at the College by working with House and Vice Captains and engaging with the school executive through regular meetings. Working closely with the House Captains, we make decisions as a team to help bring in new initiatives at the school, organise inter-house events and support co-curricular. Ultimately, it’s the collective contributions of all the students and leaders that unite the school as they are the ones who carry the traditions of the school forward.
I pursued a leadership role at the school as I wanted to give back to the Riverview community that had given so much to me. When I was a younger student, I remember the profound impact a simple conversation with a student leader or Year 12 student had on me. It was something that I’d talk about for days, weeks and even years to come because of how much I admired and looked up to the older boys. It was a feeling that made my experience at school so enjoyable, and it was this feeling that I also wanted to give to the younger students – inspiring and being a role model to them. I also pursued a leadership position as I was passionate to make a tangible impact on the school community – forming a more inclusive community where everyone felt supported, connected and appreciated. Through the efforts of all the boys in our cohort, we are continuing to achieve this, leaving our own mark and legacy at Riverview.
At the beginning of Year 12, our leadership team came together to establish a clear vision of what we hoped to achieve over the next 12 months as leaders of the college. We ultimately wanted to form a more inclusive community where people felt connected and gave things a go. Support is a significant part of school culture at Riverview, but we wanted to put a greater emphasis on activities that were not as ‘big’ or well known at the school. Each week we would announce which activity we’d be watching for that week which encouraged students to get around and support various activities including different year group plays, the ‘School of Rock’ Musical, debating, public speaking and younger boys at Saturday sport. We also wanted to encourage boys to simply ‘give it a crack’ – trying new, different activities and being more involved in school life. Through activities such as numerous inter-House events (sport competitions between House groups), we hope to make Riverview more than just a classroom setting, but a place where students develop core memories and build lifelong relationships.
KNOX O’CONNOR
At the College, I serve as Captain of Day Students. This involves listening to the wants and needs of the student body and ensuring that they are heard by the heads of the school. Because there is an inherent need to form cohesion between both the heads of the school and the students, my role requires extensive discernment and an understanding of what is best for the school. These qualities come to the fore in all areas of the job, particularly through meetings with both students and heads of the school.
I had always admired those who had been selected in leadership roles before me and felt that I could embody what I liked about their oversight in my own actions. In this way, I think Riverview does a great job of encouraging boys to make use of their leadership qualities for the betterment of the entire community. As a consequence of such an environment, I believe every student at the College has the capability to be a good leader as we all have an understanding of how to be good Ignatian men.
At school, I have a great passion for sports, drama, and public speaking. While participation in each of these pursuits makes for a busy schedule, they have given me so much over my time and have extensively influenced the way I lead the community. In regards to how I approach them in year 12, nothing much has changed from years before, I still have the desire to throw myself at as much as I can. Performing in a play, playing in a big rugby game, or speaking in front of a lot of people, are all great ways to expand on different qualities and form new relationships, and each of these benefits greatly in my leadership.
WILLIAM GARNSEY
I am currently the College Vice Captain at Riverview, also known as the Captain of Boarders. My duties are wide ranging but in the day school they generally involve working with both the Captain of Day Students and College Captain, as well as the House Captains, to ensure the smooth operation of the variety of inter-house tournaments, student assemblies and other student oriented events that take place. In the boarding house, I am responsible for organising our year 7 buddy program and a variety of boarding house events including BBQs and outings. I also work with representatives from each year group and the year 12 boarding prefects (known as proctors) to make sure that the experience of boarding is as safe and enjoyable as possible for all members of our community.
When I first started at Riverview only four years ago, I was staggered by the amount of support and guidance that came from not only the student leaders, but the entire senior division. Becoming a year 11 student and senior myself at the beginning of last year, I felt compelled to try and give back to the community that had provided so much for me. So, I decided to apply for student leadership, not really holding any expectations on what the outcome would be, and it was only when I got the position that I really started to understand what the job actually entailed. However, with hindsight, I can most assuredly say that I am glad I applied.
Having come from a regional area, I experienced first hand how difficult it can be adjusting to a boarding environment on the North Shore of Sydney that was hours from home. But whenever I felt homesick or alone, there was always an older boy who was there to help me out. So, my main goal coming into leadership this year was to make sure that no matter where a boy came from – be it Mosman or Dirranbandi – he felt as though he had a place in our boarding family. This task has been quite difficult in previous years given the seemingly endless disruptions created by the pandemic that restricted many of the physical interactions that are crucial to ensuring this connectedness in our community. I knew coming into this year that our cohort had an opportunity to reignite those familiar relationships once more, and I can confidently say that our family is now stronger than ever.
GEORGE BATEMAN
My position is the Regis School Captain (Junior School). Bill and I are the leaders of our Regis Campus at Riverview. I am especially called to lead by example and model what we want to see in our community. We represent our campus all of the time but especially at school events, masses and when we visit other schools. In Canberra we thanked our tour guides on behalf of the school, as well as the staff at venues such as the Parliament House and the War Memorial. We speak to our peers each Monday at our morning assembly and help them to focus on having a great week. It’s important that we can serve our school and the marginalised and set a great example for others.
I wanted to be Captain as a way of using and improving my social skills and leadership qualities. I’ve gotten to know a lot of people in my year and in Year 5 who I may not have otherwise known and have been able to connect with. I wanted to make a difference to all the boys here at Regis and lead us to have a great year.
I love rugby and basketball and all of my sports. It’s always great to play with our mates and to connect with them in a way that isn’t just talking. One of our first goals for the year was to welcome all of the Year 5s to Regis and help them adapt to a new school. I also want to keep doing well in all of my subjects and learn to make a positive impact on our Regis community. I want to help all of the boys to strive for excellence and have a great year together.
WILLIAM O’ROURKE
My position is the Regis School Captain. George and I are the student leaders of our Regis (junior) campus at Riverview. We are especially called to lead by example and model what we want to see in our community. We represent our campus at school events, masses and when we are called to visit other schools. When we visited Canberra we were often called on to thank our tour guides, accommodation staff or our bus drivers for all that they did for us. We welcome visiting school groups or guests who may be visiting Regis and we even get to write the newsletter! While everyone at Regis is asked to step up and do things for others, we always make sure that we set a positive example by taking the first step and doing things without being asked.
At first, I didn’t think that I would be up for the position as I thought I would be too nervous. Mrs Remeeus (Director of Regis campus) helped me to believe in myself and so I gave it a go. I still had a lot of nerves and stage fright but through being Captain I am not only becoming less nervous but also feel that I can relate to a lot more people really well. There have been some times where I may be asked to reach out to somebody who I wouldn’t normally, but I’ve been able to learn more empathy for them and feel connected to them through sport or whatever I feel they may need.
George and I are both passionate about sport and love it because it’s fun, competitive and we really enjoy the teamwork and playing with our mates. I’d love to be chosen to play CIS rugby with the other boys at Regis who have made it to the trials. We are passionate to try and use our position to raise awareness or funds for those less fortunate – especially those in disadvantaged communities and countries. We both have personal goals to strive to be our greatest and help all of Regis to always have a crack and be their best.
KNOX GRAMMAR
ANGUS WINES
I am the School Captain of Knox Grammar School, and my position involves being a good role model for my peers, supporting others in their leadership journeys and working with staff to direct student leadership at the school. Duties involve running and contributing to executive meetings and prefect meetings wherein the direction of student leadership is determined, addressing the school in assemblies, and being an active member of the school community, with various interactions with younger students and the wider community.
The selection criteria to become a student leader at Knox involve the amalgamation of a student vote, a staff vote, a vote from the outgoing student leaders, comments from mentors, team leaders, academy staff and leadership portfolio staff. Participation in school activities and ‘learner dispositions’ or effort ratings from academic teachers are also considered. Finally, an application process including a written application and interviews also are a part of the selection process to become a student leader.
I decided to pursue the position of School Captain because I am genuinely passionate about helping and supporting others in their leadership journeys, and I believed that becoming School Captain would situate me in the best position to help and develop others. I also wanted to reciprocate the good that past leaders and the school had done by me onto future boys to assist them in their journeys, just as I was assisted.
I am passionate about Knox’s cadet and social justice programs, as it allows me to connect and work closely with boys from younger years. Through developing strong relationships, you are able to guide and nurture younger leaders, and give back to the school community, which is a very rewarding process. My goal for the rest of this year is to keep on challenging myself to uplift and support others, while having an enjoyable time wherein I can continue to learn and grow as a leader myself.
BLAKE RODER
My position is vice-captain of the School and Head of the Tartan Army which involves role modelling and mentoring, rallying support for school events to empower others and working with our prefect team to serve the school and live the Knox values. My peers and teachers elected me for this position after written applications, presentations, voting and interviews. Many of my role models have been in leadership positions at Knox, and I’ve always aspired to follow their example.
My passions at school are Drama and Music, and my goals for this year are to bring everyone in my year group closer, enjoy Year 12 and give back to the school that I owe so much.
BEAU MORRISON
My position is School Vice Captain and Head of the House portfolio. Being vice-captain has a lot to it. I am required to speak at assemblies, provide addresses, attend meetings, provide mentorship, organise school events as well as other various day-to-day tasks. Head of the House portfolio is a position that is normally separate to vice-captain, so it is a completely different role. I oversee the organisation of house events during the term as well as attempting to increase student engagement in the house program. I run fortnightly meetings with the house portfolio leadership team where we discuss the current house events, do some evaluation and plan for upcoming opportunities. Currently I am planning a house event day in which the whole school will be participating, a big task.
I nominated myself during Term 2 of Year 11. This nomination included an application form which was followed by a general prefect interview. A few of us then got the opportunity to prepare a five-minute presentation to a panel on student leadership and initiatives we would run if we got the opportunity to be a School Captain.
I have always had a passion for leadership. I remember one of my first leadership roles was when I was in Year 3 and being elected to the Student Representative Council at my primary school. From then I always loved getting involved and helping to enact positive change. When I came to Knox in Year 8, I quickly fell in love with the school and the opportunities it provided me so when I got the chance to help lead the school, I could not say no.
My passions lie in the sporting realm. I love to play sport and I love the culture sport can create within the school. Whether it’s playing in front of the Tartan Army or being in the crowd cheering on my peers, having the chance to be a part of something always feels great. My goals for this year were to create a positive school culture that transcends year groups. I want kids to feel a part of a community that is not dependent on their age. I believe that the more people put into the school, the more they will get out so inspiring kids to get involved with all aspects of the school has been a part of this goal.
HARRISON LUU
My position at Knox Grammar Preparatory School is the School Captain. This role involves setting a good example when in the playground, classroom and outside of Knox. I can do this by showing the Knox values of integrity, compassion, wisdom, courage and faith. As School Captain, I also have had to speak at some assemblies throughout the year. For example, the Anzac Day Service.
I earned my position through an election system that took place at the end of last year, when our entire grade and all of the teachers voted for who they thought would be a suitable leader. Then the top eight students had an interview with Mrs Floro, Head of Preparatory School, Mr Quach, Deputy Head of Preparatory School and Mr Voysey, Director of Students (K-6), so they could make sure they were suitable for the position.
I decided to pursue being School Captain as I wanted to support as many students in the school as possible. For example, by making sure that they aren’t by themselves and are having fun at lunch and recess.
My passions at school are mainly sports such as basketball and rugby, though I also enjoy reading and Knoxigations, which is a mixture between history, geography and investigations. My goal for this year is to be the best person I can be and to help and support many of my peers in and out of the classroom.
ARCHIE DENNIS
Being school vice-captain involves: Leading by example which means always doing the right thing even if no one is looking. Giving speeches and readings at various school assemblies and events. Supporting the student representative council and the social justice captains. I earned this position through being voted for by my peers at the end of Year 5, and having an interview with the Head and Deputy Head of Knox Preparatory School, and Director of Students. I pursued this position as I knew that I was strong in public speaking, and I always try my hardest to follow the school values. Therefore, I felt I could contribute to my school in this way. My passions at school include public speaking, debating, playing the trombone, basketball, tennis and English. I also love to play handball at recess and lunch with my friends. My goals for this year are to give back to my school, which has given me so many wonderful opportunities. The ways that I am doing this include supporting environmental initiatives such as ‘Trashless Tuesday’, education initiatives, such as presenting at a technology and education conference in the USA (ISTE), and a variety of social programs.
WAHROONGA ADVENTIST SCHOOL
HOLLY MOORE
My desire to become a school leader stemmed from my passion for making a difference and giving back to my school community. I felt that I could bring a fresh perspective, empathetic leadership, and a proactive mindset to the role.
My favourite leadership opportunities have been representing the school at ceremonial days like ANZAC Day. There’s a strong sense of community and camaraderie during these events. I’ve always worn my uniform with immense pride, knowing that I am representing my peers and my school.
Being a school leader has allowed me to meet public figures in our community who are driving change and working towards creating a better future. It’s an insight that has motivated me to strive to be a better leader within our school. I believe that everyone has the potential to be a leader, and we all have a role in making our school a proud and welcoming place.
DHRUV SAINI
I wanted to be a school leader because I have a lot of passion for education, enjoy working with people and I knew that I wanted to make an impact on the school community. Into the future I really want to continue down a path of leadership. One of my favourite leadership opportunities has been the Sydney Prayer Breakfast. Along with other leaders from our school I was able to socialise and make connections as well as learning the journey of the speaker and how she found God.
I have also really enjoyed being involved in assemblies and chapels. Not only do we get to listen to great speakers but as a leader we are involved in hosting and organising. We get to interact with the students and see when they smile and laugh. To be a good leader It is important to have a clear vision of the impact you want to make on your school. I also feel that integrity, honesty, transparency as well as understanding people’s emotions are truly valuable characteristics.
WENONA
JEMIMA CARMODY
My name is Jemima Carmody, and I am privileged and humbled to hold the position of Head Prefect for 2022/23. In practicality, this involves co-ordinating the Student Leadership Team, taking genuine action to implement practical initiatives and being a passionate ambassador for student voice. I believe, however, that the heart of it lies in trying my best, every day, to care verdantly, listen actively and work passionately – serving to my greatest capacity. As a Prefect Team of 17, we organise community and fundraising events, make ourselves present around the school to engage with all year groups and try to promote a supportive, warm, spirited, service orientated and fun-loving atmosphere.
I can’t put into words how much I love this school. I care immensely for every student here and will be grateful for the rest of my life for what this community has given. I pursued student leadership because I wanted to reciprocate this, in any way I could, and give back to a place I’d call my second home.
As an individual, I’m incredibly passionate about environmental initiatives, drama, debating and public speaking, cadets, service clubs and community – informing my leadership and my person. As a team, we’ve built a vision for the year surrounding two things: community and service. Our greatest aim has been to bring the school together post Covid. Our collective kinship and spirit is the most brilliant thing about Wenona, and to be able to reconnect younger and older years, promote that sisterhood, share love, help the younger girls overcome the social pressures and cliques of high school, show them that it gets less scary and that there is so much more beyond that, encourage each student to be kind, be passionate and be courageous, has been heartwarming and deeply rewarding. Service wise, we’ve aimed to promote an acute awareness of how each of us can and must reduce our environmental footprint through poster campaigns, assembly speeches, Environment Week and the building of an eco-friendly culture. Throughout the past few months, I have loved every minute of my role and I’d like to thank the Wenona community for their boundless support. It’s a special place and the privilege to serve it is one I’ll hold dear forever.
NASHARA JAYASURIYA
I am a deputy head prefect, and I have a few intricate responsibilities in my role. A large portion involves conducting meetings. These range from the fortnightly prefect meetings with the whole body to meeting with the executive staff, like our esteemed principal, on opposite weeks. These meetings are often passionate, we spend the whole hour in debate and discussion to devise plans for the coming weeks, give updates on the student body, propose new initiatives we feel positive about and wish to implement (and then discuss the less glamorous parts of those initiatives such as the steps we actually need to take to achieve them), taking minutes, reviewing last week’s minutes and more. It’s safe to say you could miss any detail in these meetings in the blink of an eye. Additionally, the other executive prefects and I will find ourselves running around the school sometimes to run our initiatives. Our favourite one currently is the skipping we hold in our school’s Undercroft every Tuesday. On the outside, we are simply bringing over some awkwardly large skipping ropes, the kind they use in P.E. for the whole class, to the main area of the school where Middle-Schoolers sit at lunch to dance to some music and skip with them for lunch. However, we had a deeper implication behind it, and it is wildly successful. Our notion behind this initiative was to encourage the blending between year groups, Year 12’s coming to play and bond with Years 7’s and 8’s. Also, to implement a little more physical activity for the younger kids to keep them from easing into the sedentary life that high school forces you to fall into sometimes, I know I have. We’ve received feedback from students and staff alike that they’re enjoying this as much as we are, and I couldn’t be happier. Although I don’t take part in actions that ‘change the world’ on a large scale, I take pride in my obligations.
I love my school. The people here have all shaped me in some way. I have been blessed with opportunities left and right. The real question is why wouldn’t I decide to pursue a leadership position that allowed me to give back to the school that has cared for me for so many years now.
My mum always says that I’m all the slices of a pepperoni pizza due to my varied interests. I love dancing and sports like basketball, and I have ever since I was little, Wenona has an amazing extra-curricular dance/sports program and now my week consists of hip-hop on Mondays and Basketball on Saturdays. I also love public speaking, so I was a part of the debate teams for many years, and I love translating those skills I learnt to the speeches I give in school assemblies. Furthermore, my love for service is nurtured greatly in a school like this. Such as volunteering where I was lucky enough to be at the record-breaking SCHF Gold Dinner event! Lastly, I am proud of my identity and am an avid member of our school’s Global Diversity club, these meetings are one of my favourite parts of the week where I get to learn about world issues and how to embrace unique cultures and converse about mine. As an executive prefect, I wanted to carry myself as a dedicated server for the school throughout the year. Initiatives where we encourage mixing between year groups (such as our upcoming fundraising event for an amazing organisation called Zonta where we have a big sleep-out in our school’s gym with the Year 7’s and Year 12’s) are regular on our prefect calendar. Moreover, we also aimed to introduce some change to our current attitudes towards Reconciliation with Indigenous Australians, looking for ways to extend the notion beyond just a week, a project we are still in the depths of. Finally, we were looking to establish the prefect body as a close-knit unit. The outgoing prefects only consisted of the 3 executive prefects, whereas this year we had a team of 17! This was a blessing as it allowed more delegation of duties and roles that were more personal to the school (e.g. Upper School prefects that looked after Year 9 and 10), it was a lot of unique people required to stay in line and focused. However, each student was in their role for a reason, and our solid relationships with each other and the school were quickly established.
KALARA PRINGGOHARJONO
My leadership position within the school is Deputy Head Prefect. My role is comprised by a range of responsibilities that aim to ultimately develop culture and spirit within the school. The practical aspect of my role is primarily made up of gate duties, assembly speeches and meetings throughout the week with students, the perfect body and executive staff that largely focus on creating proposals and initiatives to benefit the greater school community. This year our main goals as the perfect body were to prioritise the cohesion within the community, the environment and service. In alignment with our school’s motto, ‘Ut Prosim’ that I may serve, as a perfect body, service was always a priority. Throughout the year we have co-ordinated a range of fundraising and service initiatives
I think pursuing this leadership role was just the natural manifestation of my love for people. As someone with a pretty diverse background, at a school with a seemingly homogeneous demographic, I have always made an active effort to contribute to my full capability within my community. I’d always felt a responsibility to ensure others feel heard and represented and I honestly just wanted to give back. Personally, I find incredible value and gratitude in the people around me along with truly being involved within the community.
Within the school I am passionate about a range of clubs and extracurriculars including debating, the school’s Amnesty International club and ‘The W’ (the student magazine and outlet for student voice) and Cadets. Involvement in these spheres has truly exposed me to the incredible vibrancy of the school community. Although it seems that I’ve overcomitted myself to everything, I truly am very passionate and have so much love for everything I do. Along with getting through my final year of high school, my biggest goal for the end of the year is to follow through with what we sought out to achieve at the start of the year, to keep culture high and continue all of our service and initiatives.
SOPHIE INGHAM
I am Deputy Head Prefect and football captain at Wenona School. As Prefect, I am one of four leaders of our 17 strong prefect team, an amazing group of passionate individuals who hope to foster cohesiveness, spirit, and connectedness within our school. We primarily work with the Year 12 and wider school cohort to coordinate service initiatives, run assemblies, support executive staff, and provide a safe peer option for those in need of support. As Football Captain, I am involved with the coordination of the school’s senior school football players with staff, act as a role model to younger players, and encourage a supportive, competitive team environment.
I decided to pursue leadership in my final years of school as I wanted to continue to contribute to Wenona in a meaningful way. I am so grateful for the incredible opportunities that I have been given at my school and hope that in a small way, this shows my appreciation. I am passionate about academics, service, and sport - just a few of the many areas in which Wenona offers diverse opportunities. I am also working to help improve the retention rate of our students in mathematics by working with the junior to school to identify who may need a little help in finding their way to loving the subject. I hope that by the close of the year, we as a leadership team will have left Wenona a place where every individual feels like they belong and are supported beyond measure in the pursuit of their dreams.
SHORE
LACHLAN HUNT
My position is Senior Prefect (School Captain) of Shore. On a day-to-day basis the role involves engaging in and keeping up with the school community. This includes monitoring behaviour and catching up with students during recess and lunch, attending sports, musical, and drama events on weekends and after school, and speaking at assemblies on chosen topics each fortnight. On a larger scale, the role involves organising long-term projects with the assistance of the prefect body, like the ‘June push-up’ charity program we are now conducting, and ultimately being a ‘bridge’ between the student body and the staff, relaying messages, sentiment, and requests between each group.
Initially, I saw the role as an excellent opportunity to learn about leadership and I have gained invaluable knowledge about managing projects and engaging with different people. What I was drawn to most in this role was the ability to get to know the boys at the school. I believe that our best leaders are those that are regularly in contact with and among the people that they are leading. Through the role, I have been able to make connections with boys from all year groups and this is one of the most rewarding aspects of the position.
I am passionate about debating. I’ve always enjoyed public speaking and arguing, and I’m interested in Australian media and politics, so I think that this all ties in well with each other. In terms of goals for this year, I think that it is often hard to find a metric for success and an overall goal as a leadership body. As such, we often consider legacy when assessing what we want to have achieved by the end of the year. What message are we sending to the school as a leadership group and a senior year, and are we leaving the school in a better place than it was when we started it? It is these questions that we constantly remind ourselves of, and they underpin our goal for the year
JUSTIN GAO
I am the Captain of School House and Senior Captain of Boarding. This position requires me to pay close attention to the livelihood and contentment of boys in boarding, organising and managing requests for food changes and routine changes, as well as other specific desires and inquiries. I liaise directly with Housemasters and the Head of Boarding as a way of bridging communication between staff and students in Boarding. I am also a First-Batch Prefect, a position which assists the school in upholding behavioural and dress standards and enabling communication between staff and students. Additionally, I am president of Agora Philosophy Club, and editor of the Shore Weekly Record.
Having started at Shore in Year 7, the boarding house soon became a second home; I found myself compelled to pursue a position that could allow me to leave my own contributions to its long-lasting tradition. My passion for philosophy and the sharing of this passion with a community led me to lead the philosophy club. A willingness to think about the needs and wants of the student body, as well as the actionability of the SRC led me into its leadership position. I saw the Shore Weekly Record as a platform for the student voice; amazed by the individuality in tone of each article, my interest in writing grew exponentially, resulting in an impetus to add to its tradition and influence a larger audience with my writing. I think it is these involvements in the school that allowed me the capacity to pursue a prefect position.
My passions at school include participation in the symphony orchestra as a cellist, visual arts, philosophy, theatre, cadets, and English. Outside of the classroom, I hope to finish off my leadership terms in the strongest possible manner and ensure that the next generation of Shore boys can continue growing the things I value most about this school.
JESSE COCHRANE
On the last day of school last year, I was honoured to be elected to the position of Second Prefect (Vice Captain). The role works with the ‘Senior Prefect’ and the rest of the Prefect team to serve the boys of the school, acting as intermediary between the staff and the students. Like most schools, the position comes with lots of responsibilities, but what I think makes the leadership system at Shore a bit different is that within the prefect body, everyone has the same ‘rank’ and same role to play and this way, lots of the operations and events are the product of student-led initiatives. As a Christian, I think that the most important thing I can do in a school environment is to serve others. Simply put, being a school leader has provided me with so many more opportunities to continue to give back to the school through acts of service, at many different levels. Ultimately, there is so much that I have benefited from during my time at Shore, I love being able to continue the culture of building up younger boys and continuing the school traditions and hopefully we can leave it in a better place than we started. I love being involved in as many co-curricular activities as possible and I’m grateful that our school offers so many different options. I’m keen to try to enjoy as much as I can of this last year despite the demands of study as I’m realising this chapter in my life is nearly over.
MONTE SANT’ ANGELO MERCY COLLEGE
AVA KEEVERS
I am very fortunate to be the College Captain of Monte. As College Captain I am an ambassador for the student body and a representative for the school. This involves firstly being a liaison between my school principal, student leadership team (6 senior leaders, house captains and co-curricular captains) and the school body. I attend meetings once fortnightly with my College Principal and senior leaders respectively. Through these meetings we organise initiatives responding to the needs of the students. For example, recently we introduced a student-run Instagram to promote involvement in the school community. Each of the 6 girls in the senior leadership has a specific role e.g. Assembly co-ordinator, Growth Captain. I am also responsible to make sure these tasks are being fulfilled, helping out where I can. Furthermore, I represent the school at events on campus and onsite. For instance, being involved in the Year 7 orientation program, attending the ‘We Stand with Ukraine Forum’ and student leadership afternoon teas.
At Monte, the criteria for a student leader includes being someone who is involved in the College community, someone who has demonstrated their leadership ability and further the values of the college. The time between applying for and obtaining my position was a rigorous process that spanned an entire term. At the start of Term 2, 2022 I submitted an application for the position of senior leader. All applicants for the position were put on a list from which Year 12 students and teachers voted for the top 12 applicants. Then, the top 12 applicants were interviewed by our college executive for the position of Senior Leader. In my interview I submitted another application specifically for College Captain. From the seven senior leaders that were chosen, four were selected to interview for the position of College Captain. I was fortunate enough to be offered an interview and subsequently chosen for the role.
When I was in Year 7, as someone who wasn’t a confident public speaker and lacked self-confidence, I would have never imagined that I would be in the role I am today. However, over my years at Monte as a product of being involved in the college community, I began to develop my confidence along with close friendships with a range of girls expanding my year group. Hence, I wanted to be able to give back to my community and saw leadership as a way to achieve this. In particular, I decided to pursue the position of College Captain because I believe it is a position where you can nurture and influence the environment you and your peers hope to create. In particular I was passionate about promoting an environment of participation. Additionally, I felt it was a good opportunity for personal development.
Personally I am someone who is very passionate about community. This manifested in my participation in all aspects of school life, for example sport and debating teams, leadership (SRC and Middle School Leader), social justice groups and school affiliated events. Such as the swimming carnivals and athletics carnival. I particularly enjoyed these activities as it gave me the opportunity to interact with girls from other year groups. This is something which we got less of an opportunity to do during Covid. Hence in my leadership role I aspired to promote an environment in which everyone felt empowered to view opportunities as challenges rather than intimidating obstacles and strengthening the sense of community between year groups. Outside of leadership, being a Year 12 student my goal for this year is to work consistently to do well in my studies and make memories with my friends.
PYMBLE LADIES’ COLLEGE
FREYA CARMODY
My position, alongside Alyssa, is Head Prefect at Pymble, which involves leading a team of 57 prefects, each working within their own portfolios in the school. Alyssa and I work to uplift a prefect body that supports its peers, and be present in our school community. This year, we were responsible for creating our student theme, which is “2023, you’ve got a friend in me”. Within this theme lies a heavy emphasis on community, support and school spirit. Through our addresses in assembly, as well as initiatives throughout the year, we are really aiming to help foster positivity and connection within school, and leave this as a part of a legacy. So far, we have experienced this sense of connection through mentor group sessions, assembly addresses, and showing up to support other students in their endeavours.
I decided that I would apply for Head Prefect because over the years I’ve really enjoyed creating and sustaining positive relationships with my peers, and I strive to be a leader that people can look up to through leading by example. For me, this looks like getting involved, and lifting up my peers so that they feel empowered to act confidently and feel supported.
One of the things I have loved most about my time at Pymble is the range of opportunities, and how possible it is to find where your interests lie. At school, I love to spend my time in performing arts, and it’s something I would really like to keep as a big part of my life moving forward. In terms of leadership in the remaining time this year, I’m hoping to continue to foster this sense of friendship, connection and school spirit, and make the most of my remaining time at Pymble.
ALYSSA YEE
My role is Head Prefect of Pymble Ladies’ College. My co-Head Prefect and I work together with staff and students to build a strong sense of community across K-12. We represent our school at events and regularly present at assemblies to promote initiatives, foster school spirit and promote a caring and positive environment. We work with the other Prefect portfolios on a range of school-wide initiatives that encourage student involvement, both within our school and the wider community.
I love my school and decided to pursue the role of Head Prefect so that I can give back to my school community. I love how we are supported to be our best selves and am grateful for the many opportunities to learn and challenge ourselves as individuals, while fostering a commitment to service and strong sense of community. I have loved representing Pymble, from public speaking to robotics, and fencing to netball. Being involved in College life has helped me grow – building communication, organisation and leadership skills, and forming special friendships. These positive experiences inspired me to pursue this role so that I can express gratitude for my experiences and also encourage students to be involved and promote school-wide and community initiatives.
Personally, I’m passionate about learning and maximising my academic potential while having a well-rounded cocurricular experience. I love debating, public speaking, fencing and netball. I truly believe that all voices are valid and want to inspire others to share their views and ideas. Our school values of care, courage, respect, responsibility and integrity have resonated with me since Kindergarten and I believe they are intrinsic to all aspects of my life. In my role as Head Prefect this year, my goal is to encourage student voice and build active engagement and a strong sense of community and service. Our School Prefect theme this year is “2023 – You’ve got a friend in me”, using the Toy Story theme to celebrate friendships and encourage students to know that we are part of a wider community who support and care for each other, throughout the ups and downs. My co- Head Prefect and I are Woody (representing Kindness) and Buzz (representing Courage); and each term we select a Toy Story character to discuss with the student body to symbolise important characteristics, for example Slinky Dog represents adaptability and Jessie represents being adventurous. My goal is to try my best to make a difference in my school community and beyond, working with staff and students to make a positive and inclusive environment where students feel valued and inspired. Being in Year 12, in addition to academic goals to do my best, I am committed to pursuing my cocurricular endeavours and enjoying this last year with my teachers and friends. I want to make special memories that I know I’ll keep with me forever.
EDEN NI
I am one of two Semester 1 Kindness Leaders for Pymble Ladies’ College Junior School. I work with the Kindness Captains from each class across Year 1 – Year 6. Kindness Club meets weekly on Wednesday lunchtimes to brainstorm kindness initiatives and work on and lead service projects in our school and throughout our community. Girls nominate themselves for a leadership position and then submit a video to explain why they want to be a leader. Peers and staff then vote on who they would like to be a school leader. We can be elected to a Semester 1 or Semester 2 position so more girls have the chance to be a leader. I was new to Pymble in Year 3 and I hoped that as a Kindness Leader I could help others settle in quickly and also help people in the wider community. This year we have had several kindness initiatives that the Kindness Club have promoted. We have collected stationery and toiletries for the HARK Clinic (Health Assessment for Refugee Kids) at Westmead Children’s Hospital. We wrote postcards to raise money for the Students Rebuild 2023 Welcoming Refugees Project and sent 820 postcards to welcome new refugees. We have written kindness affirmations which have left around our Junior School just as a simple way to lift someone’s day. We are in the process of planning how to update our Friendship bench and we are looking forward to welcoming 102 Year 5 students from 17 schools to our annual Children’s Kindness Convention where students problem solve social and environmental issues through kindness.
OLIVIA CHAN
I am one of two Semester 2 STEM Leaders for Pymble Ladies’ College Junior School. I am very excited as this is a new leadership position for our Junior School this year. Girls nominate themselves for a leadership position and then submit a video to explain why they wanted to be a leader. Students and staff then vote on who they would like to be a school leader. We can be elected to a Semester 1 or Semester 2 position, so more girls have the chance to be a leader. I am passionate about STEM, I love to build, create and code. STEM takes a lot of imagination and creativity and I want to spark this in other young people so that they can be introduced to it. Being creative, inventing and coding now can spark a passion for what students can do later in life or do now as a hobby. STEM club this year has spent time looking at the engineering that goes into a new build. Looking at new construction happening in the Junior School, STEM club girls have looked at how concrete is made and even had a go at making their own. In class time, Years 5 and 6 recently had an AI day. We have also had a TechConnect evening for Year 4 dads and daughter building and racing robotic inchworms in a Formula 1 inspired event. Later this term we will have an interHouse robotics competition for all girls K-6, which will be lots of fun.
MASADA COLLEGE
LEAH REINHARDT AND HANNAH TOYNTON
Leading Masada College as the school captains involves representing the student body and the school and working with the Prefects to enact positive change. The role is summarised perfectly in our prefect slogan: ‘2023, Be The Change You Want To See.’ Our captaincy involves embodying and putting into action the school values to enact meaningful change to uplift the student body: this involves representing the school at external functions such as the NAJEX Anzac service at the Sydney Jewish Museum, leading fortnightly school assemblies and planning memorable events. This year, events such as friendship day, Jewish festivities like the Purim Ball and Shabbat on the bowl as well as Diversity Day - our current project - have been especially gratifying to see fall into place and exemplify the school spirit.
Masada College is a place of acceptance where students can always be themselves and are encouraged to reach their full potential. This is one core value that we both have been given so many opportunities to embody. Our school captaincy has allowed and encouraged us to continue this value to make Masada an inclusive place for all to thrive. Currently, we, along with the Prefect team, are underway with preparations for Diversity Day, bringing together all cultures and religions within the school as well as different grades to encourage school camaraderie. Events such as these truly demonstrate the Masada spirit.
Leading from in front and from within quickly became our mantra and encapsulated what we believed would make for effective leadership. Leading from in front is what many believe to be the most important role as a school captain - including expectations of being a role model, liaising between the student and executive bodies, or straight-forwardly promoting positive values. However, our school captaincy involves putting positive values into action and leading from within. Being selected as leaders of the school is a recognition and encouragement for us to continue showing micro displays of leadership every day.
‘Leadership is not only about what you achieve by it. It is what you become because of it” - Late Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. As we have embarked on this journey as school captains, we not only have strived to achieve growth within our community but have been given the opportunity to achieve positive growth as leaders. Our School Captaincy has so far been a very rewarding experience. Our passions and objectives as captains have proven to align perfectly: we complement each other as a team so well and are both incredibly grateful to have each other as teammates. We are both beyond grateful and overwhelmingly proud to continue to represent the school’s ethos with a positive attitude and leave a lasting legacy at the school: a goal which we both hope to have achieved throughout our time at Masada.
BEAUTY POINT PUBLIC SCHOOL
ANTON KASSIS
I am a School Captain and some of the responsibilities I have are running and hosting special assemblies and welcoming guests. I work on the student representative council where we come up with ideas for community events, fundraising activities and ways we can be of benefit to our school and local community. I also have the responsibility of representing my school at events such as the ANZAC Day dawn service where we laid a wreath and other important events. One of the other responsibilities I have is to run school tours and welcome new families to the school.
I earned the position of School Captain because I was kind, caring and worked hard. As part of the leadership selection process at the school we run a program called Be of Benefit. For my Be of Benefit project I created a sports club where we ran multiple fun activities and drills at break times. Then, I presented my speech at a whole school assembly and students and teachers voted for their preferred candidate.
I was encouraged by my family and sister who was a former School Captain. They motivated me to present the leadership speech as I always wanted to be School Captain. When I was younger, I looked up to the other School Captains and wanted to follow in their footsteps.
I want to be an astrophysicist when I grow up. At school we are studying space this term and I’m loving it. My goals for this year are to make the school a better place and help the kids at our school to be happy and kind.
ASHA DAVENPORT
I hold the position of School Captain and some of my responsibilities are representing the school at important events such as the Women’s Leaders Day, The Halogen Young Leaders Summit and The Mosman ANZAC Day dawn service. I also run important school assemblies and host our special guests. As a member of the Student Representative Council, I share my ideas about community events, fundraisers and ways we can improve our school.
I earned this position because students, teachers and support staff in our school voted for me to become a school leader. As part of the selection process at our school, we ran a Be of Benefit project. This project had to be something that improved our school or local community. The second part of the process was writing and presenting a speech. We had one hour to write this speech that mainly outlined the qualities we had that would make us a strong leader and how we had been of service to our school community so far. I was fortunate enough to be selected.
At first this position seemed out of reach because I am not a natural extrovert but with some encouragement from my parents I decided to try it out. This taught me to always try things out because you never know what will happen.
In school I am interested in science, technology, engineering and math. My goals for this year are to become more confident in myself, to take risks and to benefit the school as much as I can.
ST MICHAEL’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
SELENA DUARTE
I am a SRC representative which stands for student representative council. This role requires me to attend leadership meetings where I communicate my peers’ wants and needs. I love listening to my friends and giving them positive feedback. This skill made me an excellent leader for this role. I decided to put my name down because I wanted to be a voice for the people in our class. I am very friendly and have represented the school in swimming, soccer and netball gala days. My favourite subject is English and my goals are to get good grades and enjoy my last year of primary school. I want to spend time with my friends and keep these strong as I move to high school.
RUBY MAKOMASKI
My position is green house sport captain and our job is to organise and help at sporting events and cheer our house on. For example, at the cross country we do points for our house. We also lead and create chants for our house to cheer on our colour. I earned this position by posing my best qualities, being funny and really getting involved in my speech. I spent ages working on my speech, and the students voted on their favourite, so I was very happy when I was announced captain. In my speech I added humour and dedication, as well as really dressing up for the event. In kindergarten, I saw the captains and thought they were so cool, and I really looked up to them. I loved sports and when I heard they were sports captains, I decided that I really wanted the position. I thought leading sports and chants and making chants would be amazing, and every minute I’ve spent in this position has proven that. My passions at school are sport, particularly soccer and cricket, writing and art. My goals for this year are to have an amazing last year, do lots of school representative sports and try my best in everything. I’ve already achieved the inter school gala day and my team came second out of sixteen teams.
EMILY HOCKING
I am a SRC Leader (Part of the student representative council), my position involves representing the students in my class and meeting with the other SRC’s. Our 2023 SRC’s have started a kindness tree, where students can write the name of a teacher or student who has shown them an act of kindness. I am also preparing a proposal to suggest that a filtered water refill station be installed at our school. My class elected me as our class SRC. I earned this position because they thought I was responsible and I was enthusiastic to take on this role. I decided to pursue this position because I wanted to help lead the school and I like having the opportunity to make our school a better place on behalf of the students. My passions and goals at school are to help the new students (kindergartens and other years) feel welcome at the school, to be involved in the school community and to represent the students by making their ideas come to life.
OLIVIA SWETE
My position is School Vice Captain. It involves a range of different things from school assemblies to representing the school at events. My fellow captains and I set an example for the students around us and make sure we are contributing to a positive learning environment. To earn this position I had to write and present a speech in front of the school. I was an excellent candidate because I support and encourage all my peers and bring a growth mindset to the school. Everyone that ran for the role had to be a good example for others and represent the school and its values. The thought of standing up in front of the school was definitely nerve wracking but when it was my turn, all my nerves disappeared. A School Captain is someone I have always looked up to and saw as my role model. I wanted to be that person to others. I thought this role would be a great opportunity to set an example for others and also leave a mark on the school. This role really got me looking forward to my year ahead. One of my biggest passions is playing sports and being part of a supportive team. As leaders of the school we get to experience lots of great things, one being having our buddy’s in kindergarten. I’m truly being honest when I say they are the cutest little people ever. One of my goals is to be the best buddy possible. I still remember my first day of school and my buddy greeting me at the gates. My goal is to be just as good for my buddy Isabella!
LARRY WILLIAM LYNCH
As school captain it is my job to set a tone for the school. I work with the rest of the year six leaders to make sure that the school is a happy and fun place to learn. I am kept busy running assembly each week, coming up with new ideas and representing Saint Michaels at events like ANZAC Day and masses. I earnt this position because people supported me and I feel like I have the qualities to be a Saint Michael’s school captain. Our leadership positions were voted on by everyone from Year 2 upwards. I decided to pursue this position because I like helping people and it feels like I am contributing to the whole school while doing my job. I love the people, the friendships and the connections between everyone. Every morning I walk into school and I like to see smiling faces. And my goal is to leave this amazing school even better than It was.
KATIE PRIESTLEY-MATHEWS
I’m the green house school captain. I encourage student participation at carnivals by making chants. I encourage all kids to run their races as best they can. I also support kids to love sports and have fun. I decided to pursue this position because my sister was the green house captain last year and I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I love my colour house and supporting and encouraging other students. I love the school community and how nice the people are at St Michael’s. One of my goals for this year is to prepare myself for high school. I also want to make my friendships stronger in preparation for high school.
KARA DE BELLA
My position is red house sport captain. I lead MacKillop (red house) in sports carnivals and show that I am a leader in sport and school spirit. To get this position I had to show that I was a good leader and that I would persist throughout all sports carnivals. In addition I made a speech and then was given the opportunity to help lead the red house. I thought I would have a lot to give to the red house and I loved the idea of helping your teammates and attempting to lead them to victory. I have many passions including leading the red house to victory. I also like to read and cherish that ability to my limits. My goals have been to put effort into everything I do, which I think I have already performed.
JULIET SIMONE KHOURY
At St Michael’s Lane Cove, I am School Captain. My position involves helping out at the assemblies, representing the school at out-of-school events (like ANZAC Day and National Reconciliation Week) and facilitating discussions with our principal, vice principal and Year 6 leaders for recommendations, fundraisers and school improvements. I was elected School Captain after our principal, teachers and Years 2-6 students voted for their preferred school captain. Before the vote, each candidate was asked to make a speech to the school outlining our qualities, values, commitments and goals for the upcoming year if we were elected. Being appointed School Captain was something I had aspired to since entering kindergarten. I always felt so inspired by the school captains before me and dreamed of doing the same. I decided to pursue this position because I wanted to give back to our wonderful school, lead with passion and be an example for our younger students. I have many passions at St Michael’s, but by far my favourite one is my passion to be the best leader I can be. I would also love to create more inter-grade connections to promote better understanding and kindness throughout the school. My main goals for the year are to give back to my school as much as I can through my leadership roles, to achieve the best I can both academically and in sport and most importantly, I hope to add to the happiness of everyone in our school community.
GEORGINA RYAN
I am red house captain, I lead MacKillop, the red house in sport, school spirit, school awareness and our school rules. On days such as athletic and swimming carnivals I take on responsibilities like chanting, keeping points and making sure the day goes smoothly. I have always been a great leader and contributed to school events and house colour carnivals, having this determination and great leadership I was elected the role of red house captain. I have always had such a big passion for school/house spirit and sport, my brother was also captain and I thought I would have a lot to offer. My passion at school is sport and red house but also history. I love learning about modern history and deepening my knowledge of the past. My goals include winning athletics, swimming and cross country carnivals at the red house, getting a good comment on my report and having a great last year in primary school.
EVETTE KELLY
I am McQuion (Yellow) House Captain at St Michael’s. This role involves; leading my house at chants on carnival days, occasionally speaking at assembly to give an update on our house-based reward system, assisting our PE co-ordinator in organising school carnivals, running the Kindy and Year 1 fun run and holding up the trophy if your house wins an event. I was elected for this position by other Yellow House members from my school. I had to say a speech that demonstrated my qualities and how they suited the role. Before – hand, I had to get to know all the younger Yellow students from St Michael’s so they knew who I was before the voting took place. I decided to pursue this position because I want to encourage all the members of Yellow House to always participate even if you don’t come first. I also love the team spirit that the old sport captains would bring to carnival days and I want to be a role model for the younger students to have fun. At school, I really enjoy sports because I like getting out in the open and running around with my friends. Some of my passions in the classroom are maths, debating and public speaking and STEM. This year so far, I have already accomplished a lot through representing my school at open days and outside of school sporting events but my goals for this year are to be the best school leader I can be and to enjoy my final year at St Michael’s.
GLENAEON RUDOLF STEINER SCHOOL
SOPHIE LEWIS
I’m a Music Captain at Glenaeon Rudolf Steiner School. I was chosen for this role through an interview process with the heads of school, and I decided to pursue this position because I have always been very involved with the music program at Glenaeon ever since I joined the school in Year 7. Becoming a music captain just felt like the natural step up. I have always been very passionate about music, having been part of Sydney Children’s Choir and Sydney Youth Orchestra for many years. I’ve recently achieved my Grade 8 AMEB on violin. Currently I am doing my AMus (Associate of Music education), and next year I intend to audition for the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to continue my violin studies at a higher level. I love being involved in Glenaeon’s music program. I’ve been a member of Glenaeon’s Sinfonia for four years, having started at the back desk of violin 2 and moved up throughout the years to eventually become concertmaster, which I am now. I was a founding member of Glenaeon’s Chamber Choir, which started in 2021. My focus as a music captain is to help expand Glenaeon’s music program as much as I can, and give back to my school community before I graduate. I firmly believe that music (classical, jazz, whatever…) should be accessible to everyone from all walks of life, and that the competitive element that has become synonymous with musical performance should be dispelled. I think that many people are deterred from music because they have this notion that to perform, you have to be exceptionally good. I enjoy making our Glenaeon music program even more inclusive for those of all musical skill levels and backgrounds, because fundamentally having fun and making something beautiful is what music is all about.
FERN BENNETT
I am in the position of Art Captain at Glenaeon, a role I acquired through an interview process following a written submission. My duties include coordinating communication between the art department and Glenaeon students and assisting with the organisation of art-related events at school. I am also a member of the Student Representative Council (SRC), which focuses on engaging the Glenaeon community through school-wide events, as well as striving to be a voice for our student body. The decision to pursue this leadership position came from my love of art, which has always been a big part of my life. My mother, a professional artist herself, taught me to draw at a young age and encouraged a passion that has stayed with me for sixteen years. I have taken visual arts as a school subject throughout my entire Glenaeon education and have completed numerous art courses outside my official schooling. I spend a lot of my free time painting and drawing for my own enjoyment and plan on continuing art for the rest of my life. In my position, I hope to support Glenaeon’s extensive art program and give back to our wonderfully creative community.
CAMMERAY PUBLIC SCHOOL
FELIX BLACKMAN
I am the 2023 School Captain and SRC Leader at Cammeray Public School. I lead school assemblies and ceremonies, represent the school at internal and external events, meet and greet with local community figures and ensure every child feels included and valued at Cammeray PS. One of my highlights this year so far has been representing the school at the 2023 ANZAC Dawn Service held at North Sydney War Memorial. It was a very early start but very memorable!
At the end of 2022, the Year 5 cohort commenced a leadership and community service program. The program was a minimum requirement if you were interested in obtaining a leadership role at CPS and as part of this program, you needed to do six hours of community service in and around the school and write and deliver an impromptu speech to the school outlining why you would be a good leader and why you wanted the role. Years 2-5 and the teachers then had to vote for who they wanted as leaders of our school. I have been at Cammeray PS since kindergarten and been involved in as many things as possible including representative sport, the band, art competitions, music performances and end of year celebrations. I love going to Cammeray PS and feel like I was elected to this role because I am well-respected, well-liked and demonstrate care and confidence to others.
I wanted to be School Captain because I am proud to go to Cammeray PS and enjoy leading by example, inspiring others and motivating people to do their personal best. It is also important to me to have a voice and opinion so I can work with students, teachers and the Executive team to make our school a better place.
I am passionate about soccer and maths. I was very excited when a large play area at the school was finally ready for use in Term 2 as it means my friends and I can use it everyday to play soccer. In class, maths is my favourite subject. I enjoy maths because I like learning new algorithms to solve diverse problems. My goals in class are to increase my vocabulary and get better at spelling words which will only help me as I move to high school next year. This year, I was selected to play in the U12 representative football team at Northern Tigers and it is my goal this year to be selected for the U13 Youth program at Northern Tigers to continue my love and growth in the sport.
LUCAS BROPHY
As vice-captain of Cammeray Public School, I am responsible for running assemblies, participating in SRC meetings to address school improvements, and conducting tours and introductions for important visitors.
My position was elected by teachers and students. The selection criteria involved an application as to why I should be considered part of the leadership group, community service throughout the process and I had to deliver a compelling speech as to why I would make a good leader.
I pursued this position as I always looked up to the leaders before me and I wanted younger students to be inspired by our leadership group. I pursued this position so that I could have a positive impact on the school’s future, and its students, and to help the school introduce new and important projects and ideas shaping the schools future.
In my last year of primary school, my passions lie in learning and expanding my skills across all subjects. I aim to experience everything that the school offers and strive for the best I can across all areas. Additionally, I want to make the most of my time with the friends I’ve made over the past seven years, as we will soon embark on separate paths.
SEREN BRUCE
I am proud to be the School Captain at Cammeray Public School, some of my school responsibilities are speaking at assemblies, organising fundraisers and events and representing Cammeray Public School at important meetings, speeches and tours both outside and inside Cammeray.
Those who wished to have the position had to write an application, detailing their past and current attributes and commitment to inside school programs. Then the students were bought into a classroom to write an impromptu speech for the assembly. We then presented our speeches to Years 2-6 and teachers.
I wanted to help the school progress and to aid in students’ enjoyment as without fun in learning students cannot experience and participate in group and session activities.
My passions at our school are subjects like science, art, English and mathematics, but I also enjoy extra curricular activities such as basketball, choir and debating, as it allows me to enjoy the learning process and sessions. I will definitely join more clubs and programs if opportunities become available. My goals for my last year at primary school is to improve the school as much as I can. I want to represent Cammeray to the best of my abilities, making it a fun and inviting school for everyone and enjoying my Year 6 with my friends.
ALESSIA VACCARELLA
As school vice-captain I take pride in representing Cammeray Public School and seeking new ways to make our school a more accessible and welcoming place. At Cammeray Public School, the Student Representative Council (SRC) is responsible for finding ways to improve our school, and fundraise for charities. Being a part of the SRC has enabled me to delve into my passions to contribute to our school. Some of my passions at school are ensuring that everyone is heard, because I value others opinions and I understand that everyone has a different perspective and deserves to be listened to. I am also passionate about the environment and investigating ways to reduce Cammeray’s waste. I hope in my role I am able to make Cammeray Public School a better place for all students.
Our school has lots to offer. I have been lucky to have been involved with many school activities, such as band, debating and dance – Cammeray Public has lots of extra-curricular activities for everyone. Another activity for all Year Five students is the Student Leadership in Primary Schools Program. This activity is what gave me the opportunity to become a School Captain. Over 10 weeks (one term) we learned about the qualities of a good leader and were required to complete a total of six hours of community service within our school. This prepared us for an impromptu speech about why we should be the School Captain for 2023. After presenting these speeches, all students in years 2-5 voted on who they wanted to be their leader for 2023. This was how I was elected school vice-captain 2023.
My responsibilities include representing Cammeray Public School in welcoming visitors to our school, speaking at our school assemblies and going to SRC meetings to discuss issues and working with the SRC representatives to create solutions to school issues.
In conclusion, being a school vice-captain is proving to be a wonderful and rewarding experience
MOSMAN CHURCH OF ENGLAND PREPARATORY SCHOOL
HARRY COMINAKIS
I am the School Captain and I have done lots of activities to help out the school. All of Year 6 does the buddy program and it’s a good way to help the younger boys and let them know what older boys do. I also do lunch clubs with my friends. At the moment the club is AFL. It’s great to watch the younger boys laughing and playing games. To be School Captain I was elected by doing a speech and the teachers and the students voted for who they thought would be the best for the school. It’s a big honour to be School Captain. I accepted the position because I wanted to help out others and it’s a really nice opportunity for me. My goal is to get really good at English and try to get good results in my report. My passion is sport and to play to the best of my ability.
THOMAS HARVEY
I am the lunch club leader and library prefect. As a leader, you get to take responsibility for a part of the school. Some might see this as a pressure but I see this as a blessing. I have been involved in lunch clubs and I am the library prefect. We help the kindy and Year 1 kids at the Library and we also run a drama club for junior primary students. I decided to pursue this role as I had always looked up to the Year 6 leaders and wanted to be like them, so when the opportunity came I took it. My passions are writing and science and I hope I can get a good result in writing and science on my report
STIRLING MCASSEY
I am the MacDougall House Captain. In this position, I have talked in front of many people, I have been involved in the buddy program and GoodCHAP, which all involve teaching others new and important things. To be elected, I did a speech and got chosen by not only my teachers but also my fellow peers because they thought I was good enough for the job and would do well in the position. I think a leader is someone who inspires people to do things they weren’t brave enough to do and teaches them to try new things. I also think leaders are people who help students be the best they can be in every situation.
TOBY ARMSTRONG
The leadership position I am in is the school is student representative council captain. Activities that I have participated in are meetings such as Zero EmissionsNetwork, Women’s Day at the Art Gallery and much more. These activities involve acknowledging and sharing ideas with one another on how to change our area. I believe I earned this leadership position because I talked a lot about making a change in many aspects. I was elected by presenting a speech on a chosen famous person that you look up to. It involved lots of preparation and effort and I guess I did a great job since I was elected. I decided to pursue this position because I was honoured to get this opportunity and I believed I could contribute a lot with the ideas I have to make the school a more sustainable and happy place for all the students and teachers. A have a few passions and hobbies such as writing stories. I think I have a good vocabulary when it comes to writing and that helps me express the character’s feelings. Overall, I really enjoy it as well. A goal I have for this year is to be able to stay hooked to a book. After Covid I now struggle to read, and I can never find a book I enjoy unless it’s a comic which isn’t really educational. So I hope I can improve my reading skills so I can enjoy books more!
NORTH SYDNEY PUBLIC SCHOOL
HARLEY PEARCE
I am one of the School Captains at North Sydney Public School. As a 2023 School Captain I have been a good role-model and mentor for younger students, spoken at school events such as school assemblies, hosted the multicultural public speaking competition, attended public events such as the ANZAC Day dawn service, and have toured around our new school build with the Minister of Education. I earned this position by making campaign posters, did speeches in front of different grades and then I was elected by teachers and students. I decided to pursue this position because I want to motivate and support my peers, like the role-models in my life did to me. My passions at school are maths, netball, chess and debating and my goals for this year are to be a great School Captain, always follow our school core-values (care, respect, and ownership), and to always help others at school and in my personal life.
ZARA CONNOLLY
I am a School Captain at North Sydney Demonstration School. As a School Captain of 2023, it involves a lot of responsibilities, such as setting a good example for kids younger than me, encouraging everyone to try their hardest and give something new a go. Being a school captain I have also been able to attend special school events such as hosting a multicultural public speaking competition, attend the ANZAC dawn service, and be one of the first students to ever enter the building site. I earned this position by going through an election. We had multiple rounds, including posters, speeches and being elected by the grade and teachers. I also had an interview with the Deputy Principals and the Principal, Ms Davis. I wanted to pursue this position because I wanted to be like the students who helped me when I was younger, so I want to do the same for the students from kindy to year 6 at the Dem this year. My passions at the school are soccer, athletics, track and art. My goals are to be the best School Captain I can be, show our school core values – care- respect-ownership at all times, and have a great year!
PYMBLE PUBLIC SCHOOL
MAX CORI
I am in Year 6 and I was elected Vice Captain at Pymble Public School for 2023 I joined PPS in kindy, and since then, I’ve always wanted to be a leader. There are quite a few reasons why I wanted to be a leader, but the most important reasons were that I wanted to set a good example for children and represent my school within the local community. Becoming a leader took quite a lot of effort. First, I had to write a letter about why I thought I should be chosen. Then the teachers decided who were the worthy candidates. Then we had to present an impromptu speech to the students, telling them why they should vote for us. After the students voted, we were told the results. Being a leader at PPS involves several extra-curricular activities to help the teachers and students at school. Earlier this term we participated in Peer Support sessions. The aim of these sessions was to teach us how to support the younger students’ social and emotional wellbeing. Later this term we will run a series of classes for the younger students where we will play games and complete activities to help them develop these important skills. As leaders of our school, we were also invited to go on an amazing camp to Lake Mungo. It was a wonderful opportunity, and I will remember the things I learnt there for a very long time. Being a prefect or captain at PPS is not the only responsibility a Y6 student can have. All students have their passions, such as dance, band, choir or chess. My passion is singing, so I joined the vocal ensemble. We perform at many places, such as Chatswood Concourse and the Opera House. I also enjoy playing instruments, so I joined a recorder band where I play the bass recorder. At the end of the year, we’ll perform at the Night of Stars, an annual event at our school to showcase the Performing and Creative Arts.
MAX MCINTOSH
My position at Pymble Public is School Captain. It involves working with the leadership team to run the weekly school assemblies, being a role model to the younger students and upholding the school values. I applied for this position because I had the qualities of respect and responsibility that are required for the job. I am also a great public speaker. Another very important reason I wanted to get this position was to follow in my big brother’s footsteps. He was School Captain 6 years ago. Late last year I was elected, from a group of 12, by my peers. That involved me presenting a persuasive speech to all the students in Years 3-6, convincing them why I was the best person to be their school captain. Then the students voted for who they thought would be the best school captain. My passion at school is trying to be a good role model, encouraging students to do the right thing and be the best they can be in the classroom or on the sports field. I like encouraging the younger students to consider leadership positions. I know many are too scared to stand up in front of everyone, but I assure them that if I can, they can too! Another passion of mine is running. My goals for this year are to make it on the podium for Nationals for cross country and Nationals in athletics (800m and 1500m). I have been training for these two goals, having come very close last year. I hope that my hard work and dedication will pay off.
GEMMA MAGGS
I am the girls’ Vice Captain, and I have an important role at this school. We run assemblies every Wednesday, and we represent our school in various extra-curricular activities, such as leadership camps and fundraising activities. I wanted to become a leader because I had the qualities necessary for the job. I am responsible, trustworthy and confident. These skills helped me become a great leader, and I hope to inspire others to do the same. The process to be elected Captain or Vice Captain began late last year. Every Year 5 student who wanted to, had to apply in writing. We had to write about why we thought we’d be a good leader. Then, the teachers chose twelve applicants. These successful applicants had two hours to prepare a speech to persuade the students to vote for them. We had to talk about our School Principles. It was a very nervous time, but eventually, after all the speeches, the students voted. The four applicants who got the most votes became the captains and Vice Captains for 2023. There are many other activities at PPS, and children are free to sign up and take responsibility for attending each week. I have many passions and like to be involved with as much as possible. I love dancing before school on Wednesdays and preparing for the Glen Street Theatre. I am a member of the debating team, and we are doing well against the other schools. I play PSSA netball, and I’m a member of the gardening club. My goal for this year is to be able to shoot goals in netball and play in that position on my team.
GRACE BRIGGS
I am in Year 6 at Pymble Public School. My position at PPS is the Girl School Captain for 2023. This position is a huge responsibility, and some of them include setting up assemblies, going on leadership camps and representing our school at these camps, welcoming visitors to our school, visiting state parliament and helping the teachers organise activities for the students in our school. Ever since I enrolled at this school in kindy, I have always looked up to our school leaders and aspired to be one. I thought it would be fun to have the opportunities and responsibilities the role would give me. I wanted the younger students to look up to me and see me as a role model – the same way I did when I was little. Becoming the leader I am today took a lot of work, but I knew it would be worth it because I have amazing leadership skills and I wanted to represent the school that had given me so much. The first step in being elected was to write a persuasive letter explaining why I was the right person for the job. Then I had to speak to the whole school and convince them. Finally, it was out of my hands and the school had to vote. The winner of this vote was the new School Captain – me! Students at PPS have many extra-curricular activities. They include drama, debating, vocal ensemble, digital art, coding, computer club, band, dance and Pymble Press. My passions at this school are netball, dance, debating and gardening club. This is my first year in the gardening club and I have learnt lots about weeding and preparing garden beds. We’re also preparing lots of compost for the new gardens. Becoming school captain let me tick one goal off my list. Now my focus has moved to debating and I want to excel in this area. With the support of my teachers and team members, I’m confident I’ll succeed.
WAITARA PUBLIC SCHOOL
ELIAS HAMZEI
My name is Elias Hamzei and I am school captain at Waitara Public School. Ever since I started school, I would see big and confident older kids making changes in our school and always giving up time to help the entire school community. They would always volunteer to help and they led the school to improve. They were leaders and as soon as I saw their impact, I wanted to be one of them. I am one of the people who, as leaders, use the voice of every single student attending the school to help make big decisions that impact the school community. As a leader, I take student voice and input it so that people have a say in decisions. Being a leader does not, under any circumstances, mean that you can laze around and do nothing. Leaders are responsible to lead the school to a brighter future. My father told me that a leader is like a lighthouse that provides directions to everybody at all angles. Part of the process to become a school leader was to first make a video pitch about ourselves and why we wanted to be a leader. All the students of years three to six voted about ten or so students to go to the next round. Out of all of the video pitches made by the students who were interested in becoming a leader, twenty-one candidates were chosen to make a speech in front of years three to six. Out of those twenty-one, two school captains were chosen, two vice captains were chosen and four Student Council Representative Executives were chosen to be part of the senior leadership team. library, music, sport, dance, environmental and technology leaders were chosen via EOI (expression of interest). One of the parts of being a leader is having responsibilities. Some of my amazing responsibilities include running assemblies, solving conflicts in the playground and attending meetings. My father once told me that a great leader would help everybody to work towards a common goal in the way that they do best. As a leader, it is important to have things to work towards as well as general things to build on. Some of my goals include: Input more student voice into the school, let everyone have a chance to have a say, to be there to help whenever needed and to make the school a better place for every student I am so fortunate to be the School Captain and I strive to uphold the responsibilities that this role entails. I am learning new skills every day, and I hope to learn even more.
ANAYAL KHAN
My name is Anayal Khan and I am currently the School Vice Captain in Waitara Public School. I have been at Waitara since kindergarten and have always been passionate about my possible role within the society and what part I played in it. I decided that I wanted to make a lasting impact in my school for all future students before I left. I started becoming more involved in the school community and joined the various clubs and teams that Waitara had to offer. This changed my life and inspired me to go further and dream bigger. That is why I applied for the position of School Captain. The process started by making a simple one minute pitch highlighting what job you are going for and what makes you eligible for it. Students in Year 5 (now Year 6) all voted for people who they believe most suitable. From that collection of pitches, ten girls and ten boys with the most votes were entered into the next round; doing the actual election speeches for the all students in years three to six. This part of the process was a little more complicated for me because during the bigger part of the election period, I was on early holidays overseas in my home country so I had to write and film my election speech from my aunt’s house. This included navigating through time zones and more. Luckily, I had some wonderful teachers who supported me and helped my dreams to take shape. After weeks of waiting, I got an email saying I’ve been elected as SRC Executive. Frankly, I was quite devastated that I did not get the dream role of Captain but then decided to make the best of it. A couple of days later, my friend emailed saying I’ve become Vice Captain as our elected School Captain had left the school. This made me more eager and willing to step into that responsibility. I saw this as an opportunity and decided to live up to my role. This year, I’m very excited because I finally get a chance to make that difference and help my school become the best it can be. I have gone out and represented Waitara Public School in formal events and services and much more. I want to know that before I leave, I can pass on the mantle in the hands of capable people with a deep connection and love for Waitara Public School like I had.
MOSMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL
NIAMH M – SCHOOL CAPTAIN
This year as a leader I have been to a special dream and lead conference in Sydney city. This year I look forward to helping the school improve and help younger years. This leadership position involves putting up and taking down the Australian flag on the flag pole every day. It also includes running the school assembly on a Monday morning. Sometimes we have out of school events that we go to. I earnt this position because I was a respectful, responsible learner. It was elected last year. To be elected, I had to do a speech on a person that inspired me. I chose Rosa Parks. Then we had to do an interview with our principal and two vice principals. Five girls and four boys were then chosen to go through to do the speeches. On the day we went in a room and had 12 minutes to write a speech. We went into our hall and presented our 4 minute speech in front of years 2-5. When everyone had given their speech everyone went back to their class to vote for who they want. The girl with the most votes is a school captain and the boy with the most votes is a school captain. The girl with the second most votes is school vice-captain and the boy with the second most votes is school vice-captain. I am very passionate about speaking and helping people so I thought this was the perfect opportunity for me to do that. This year my goals are to help others and give new ideas to help improve the school.
TOBIAS C – SCHOOL CAPTAIN
My position involves putting the flag up in the mornings and down in the afternoons. Doing lost property and returning it and having meetings with the principal to improve the school. In the year to come, I will continue to represent MPS at events such as the ANZAC Day service. Year 6 camp. Carrying out the plan I worked with my co-captains to mesh all of the school gates so people stop losing balls. I decided in Year 2 I wanted to be the school captain as I thought it would be fun, it would be cool to have meetings with the principal and vice principals and represent all the students at Mosman Public School. My goal for this year is to be the best school captain I can, to keep getting better at math and to improve as much as I can at rugby.
AMALIE R – VICE CAPTAIN
I am vice-captain at Mosman Public School and I’m looking forward to high school, Year 6 camp and fun activities throughout this year. Being school vice-captain involves responsibilities such as raising the flag every morning and meetings with our principal. I was elected to be captain at school by the students and school staff. I have always dreamed of being school/vice-captain since 2017 (kindergarten). School is welcoming and I feel like I can really show myself and extend myself when I’m there. A goal I’d love to work on is being an encouraging and inspiring leader that future peer leaders look up to.
GEORGE G – VICE CAPTAIN
I am Vice-Captain of MPS. Being a Vice-Captain means that above all things you are a role model for the other students at the school. Being a leader of the school means that you must represent the school well, be confident and speak in assemblies and at other events. Also you have to be ready to help the Principal, teachers and other staff at all times. I decided to try out for this position because I wanted the chance to lead my school and stand out to others as a good role model. During my time at MPS I have represented my school at zone for both cross country and athletics. I really enjoy representing my school against other local schools, it makes me feel proud to be part of MPS. Within school I have received awards for being a respectful responsible learner and have been involved with the SRC many times. My goals for this year are to make some memories of my final year at school as a vice-captain. Also I would like to inspire other students and hopefully help them if they want to be a leader of the school in the future.
ELIZABETH. F – BORONIA SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
This job involves being comfortable speaking in front of large crowds. You need to show constant respect, responsibility and courage. To be able to encourage others to strive to do their best. To show pride in our school, uniform and sport house. Being able to enjoy what you’re doing while doing it in a responsible and sensible way. I’ve always thought that being a house captain you needed to be sporty and fun. Yes you might need these but now I realise that it is so much more! Being able to help and encourage people plays a huge part. While popularity can affect the result when people see that you are a hard working student, kind, caring and supportive that’s when you really get the crowd on your side. So I think that I fulfilled almost all these standards. I’ve seen and watched the past leaders and this role looked like so much fun. The fact that I can help and support people in a way I couldn’t when I didn’t have this role is amazing. When past leaders encouraged us, they did it with so much enthusiasm but most of all when I first came to this school in kindergarten everyone was welcoming and kind and now that I have a chance to do it I want to give it back to new and old students in this school. I love sports, art and writing! Sports take up 87% of my life and I enjoy it very much. It keeps me fit and healthy. Art is like a creative time when I can get rid of all my worries and focus on the things I love most. Writing is also a time when I can use my creativity to make a great story, character and setting. This year I want to improve on my body language when I announce to a group of people and to work on the 3 main types of leadership: 1. leading from front, 2. leading beside 3. leading behind. Doing these will help me improve on the way I communicate with students and teachers.
MAXIM P – BORONIA SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
House Captain involves being a good role model for younger students and setting the bar high for the house captains the following year. Since kindergarten, it has been my one goal to become house captain and be a good role model for younger years. My passions at school are history, mathematics and art. My goal for this year is to get a 100 in a math test.
OSCAR C – GLENGARRY SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
This position involves representing my school house, being a role model to other students, participating in school assemblies, speaking in front of the school and trying to convince people to participate in school carnivals. I pursued this position because I love sport and I love being a leader so putting the two together just makes sense. My passions at school are drama, handball, science, coding, sports and art. My goal for this year is to increase participation in sports, through leadership and encouragement of students in an exciting and interesting way.
GEORGINA S – GLENGARRY SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
This position involves cheering on my house, counting the house tokens, it involves confidence and leadership and supporting younger years. I decided to run for this position to understand the pressure of leadership, to grow my confidence and get outside of my comfort zone. My passions at school are art, writing, swimming carnivals, and netball. I am actually in the knockout netball team for the school. Some of my goals this year are doing the best I can in math, to win the netball knockout and make Glengarry the 2023 House of the year.
PHOEBE G – MONTEREY SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
I am the House Captain for Monterey. Being a House Captain means that you must lead by example with the way you act at school and at school carnivals. It is important to be positive and take part even if you aren’t strong at all the sporting events. I enjoy cheering on my house at events and encouraging students to give it a go. I lead House chants and announce house points each week. It is good to be ready to help the Principal, teachers and other staff at all times. I wanted to try out for House Captain because I really wanted to be a leader in the school. I have a loud voice for cheering and enjoying sport and being part of a team. My passions include dance, coding, art, English, SRC, sport and my friends. My goals for this year are being the best House Captain possible, getting good grades and making Year 6 memories with my friends.
ALEKSEI V – MONTEREY SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
The position involves counting tokens for my house, which gets added up for the end of the year, announcing the House points every Monday, cheering my house for events, and guiding them through it. I am passionate about leading and wanted to have experience with it and House Captain is a great opportunity. I’m also passionate about helping people and guiding people through challenges. Some of my passions at school are public speaking because it is a way of speaking to people in a way that gives you a voice, and math because it is needed in everyday life and is useful for problem-solving skills. My goal is to be a good House Captain and to be able to help people easily by the end of the year.
ISABELLA B – RANGERS SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
As Rangers House Captain I do assemblies, speeches and help out with sporting events. I also get invited to special events! Since I started school I always looked up to the leaders and admired their roles and from then I knew I wanted to become a house captain! I also wanted to achieve my goals to become a good role model for all the younger years. I love sports and geography but I’m also interested in writing and maths especially when I see my results improving it makes me want to keep striving for my best. My goals this year are to be more confident and a good role model. Also to show the younger years if you put your mind to something and give it your all you can achieve anything.
NICK B – RANGERS SPORT HOUSE CAPTAIN
Being House Captain involves announcing and counting the school spirit points each week and rallying or chanting to support my house at carnivals and sporting events as well as representing my house in a variety of school events. I pursued this position because I really love competing in sport and being part of a team. I wanted to support and encourage others to do their best and to help my house win this year. My passions at school are sport, maths, chess and competing for my house as well as representing my house and school as a good leader. My goals for this year are to help my house group earn our name on the winning house plaque, to be a positive role model and to pass my Grade 2 piano exam.
OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR WEST PYMBLE
GRACE WIBLIN, EDWARD MAZZEI AND ZOE VICTOR
Our leadership position at OLPS Primary School is School Captain. As leaders in our school, we act as a role model for younger students and often represent our school at local community events. School Captains are often required to help out around the school and we are always trying to advocate for students who may be experiencing challenges at school. Every fortnight, we lead our community at our school assembly and at our recent open days, we lead information sessions and tours to new parents. We earnt the position of School Captain by demonstrating leadership qualities and being someone other students could look up to. We presented a speech to the school community on why we should be chosen as a leader and what we could do to make the school a better place. Captains were then selected through both student and teacher votes. The teachers counted the votes and assessed each person based on their leadership qualities and personality traits before finalising the position. We wanted to be leaders so we could be a role model for younger students. We have the right qualities, are responsible students and follow the school rules. We wanted to help others and make a difference to our school environment. We pursued the role because we thought it would be a good time for us to step into responsibility and help those around us. Our goals for this year as School Captains are to participate in social justice activities and help make a difference in our school and the world. We want to be helpful leaders that assist the teachers and those students who need support. Our most important goal is to be a role model for others, someone they can look up to and want to be like.
SACRED HEART PRIMARY SCHOOL MOSMAN
School and Vice Captains: Graham Ivy, McMurray Sienna, O’Brien Alexander, Wood Marlowe
Our leadership positions are school and vice captains of Sacred Heart Mosman. This position involves leading by example, being a good role model for all our younger peers, leading assemblies and going to events when necessary. We earned our leadership positions with a speech, being judged by our peers, and interviews where we answered a series of questions, moving on to the top two of each gender being awarded with the role of school and vice-captain. We all decided to pursue these leadership roles because we all have been inspired by \past leaders of our school and imagined ourselves standing up there at Assembly one day, leading our school. So far this year we have represented our school at many community events, such as the Anzac Dawn Service, Mosman’s International Women’s Day Breakfast with guest speaker Queensland former Premier Anna Bligh, and delivering speeches at our school’s open day. Each morning run a calm, warm and respectful Assembly for all students to start their day. Our passions and goals as a leadership team is to represent the school through community engagement and to be a voice for students in our school, particularly the younger ones. We hope to inspire future leaders to strive to make a difference within our school community. Through our outreach Pope Francis program we also work with the community to people in need.
Science and Technology Team: Arthur Benjamin, Edwards Isabella, Huynh Phillip, Ribeiro-Benn Sophia, Seve Lachlan, Silvestre Cortezi Gabriel, Sterling Thomas, Thompson Hugh
We’re the science and technology team. We chose to pursue it because we like science and technology. We use technology in a creative and responsible way and wanted to help others enjoy it too. We have set up a technology club at lunchtime each Wednesday where students play with our drones, and other codable tech. We held a competition for students to name our new school robot – gizmo gadget can even say his own name now. We will also run science workshops in science Week. We want to encourage everyone at school to be more creative, confident and responsible with science and technology through our workshops/clubs and help in the classroom.
SRC: Anderson Jade, Bloomfield Angus, Gallagher Alexander, Rubbi-Clarke Miles, Stevens Charles, Timms Otis, Wong Lucas.
Our leadership role is student representative council. We applied for the role because we like working with students across the whole school and listening to their ideas. We chose this position because we are mature enough to represent Sacred Heart. It involves listening to student ideas, working on integrating Indigenous connections in our school. We are also involved in putting up the flags at Assemblies and representing all of the students of Sacred Heart by showing a good example. We have pursued many things such as having a new system for suggestions from the children who are involved in SRC. This ensures we hear as many voices as possible. We also run activities at Assembly to raise awareness of Indigenous perspectives. So far we have completed one for National Reconciliation Week. We hope to create a brighter future for the Sacred Heart community. We want to represent the voice of all students at our school and build a greater understanding of our connection to country.
House Captains: Cargill Millicent, Chatenay Adriana, Doohan Archie, Flusk Finn, Ford Damien, Livermore Sienna, Perri Luciana, Wilkins Charles
We all share the same passion for sport and we were elected by students and teachers. We all knew that we could take on the responsibility, and work together as a team. We have organised a basketball tournament, helped out in the cross country and with the athletics carnivals. We will also be helping at the swimming carnivals, Sacred Heart Feast day and each of our House colour Saints days later in the year. This involves some planning, setting up and packing away at the end of events as well as running activities. Lots of fun! This year we hope younger children will be inspired by us and see how much fun participating in sports can be. We all strive to be role models supporting and helping students, creating house spirit and looking after our school’s sports equipment.
Library Team: Aboud Ciara, Anderson Hannah, Fenwick Lucas.
We decided to pursue this position because we all love reading, spending time in the library and organising. We wanted to share our love of reading with others. The role mainly consists of helping to organise the library and hosting library lunchtimes. We also organise the premiers reading challenge and will help with book week later in the year. We have encouraged students to join the Premier’s reading challenge by speaking at Assembly and helping students log in. We have also brought new ideas to the library and have seen numbers really grow for library lunches held once a week. We hope to inspire everyone to read and spend more time loving books.
Environment Team: Cargill Millicent, Chatenay Adriana, Edwards Isabella, Hance Imogen, Maddern Emma, Starzec Maya.
We chose to pursue this position because we want to care for the environment and enjoy looking after the garden. It involves being hands on in the garden and reducing waste at our school through ideas such as waste free Wednesday and recycling audits. We are doing our best to make a greener world. Each term we represent our school at the Zero Emissions Group Schools Network meeting where we share and get inspiring ideas from other schools. We look after the garden every day and host a gardening club each Friday. Each week, we collect tallies and present them at our school assembly for Waste Free Wednesday. We have also conducted an audit of all of our recycling bins and found lots of confusion. We created new bin labels for classrooms to make recycling easier. We hope to make Sacred Heart greener and cleaner. We hope to see Sacred Heart move past Waste Free Wednesday to have waste free lunches everyday. We will continue to educate everyone on how to recycle correctly and encourage everyone to care for the garden.
Wellbeing Team: Bellantonio Marlo, Botha Ivy, Crone Arabella, Dodson Niamh, Elenbaas Femke, Hang Megan, Hernandez Bronte, Sandrini-Brophy Julia, Woodlock Matilda
Our position is the wellbeing team. We promote all students’ wellbeing and happiness. We come up with creative and fun ideas to make a happier environment! As a team we remind the school of the PAWS (participate, achieve, wise and safe) expectations, and explain examples of being good! We decided to pursue our group because we wanted to spread awareness about kindness and fairness throughout our school and promote a healthier school environment! Tasks we do weekly announcing PAWS awards. We also deliver PAWS tokens, to classrooms so their teachers can distribute to those with good work and behaviour. We have made a huge butterfly artwork full of written statements by the students, stating the things that make them smile! We plan a “wellbeing week!” every term in week six. This involves fun lunchtime activities and even a teachers vs students netball game. We have achieved so much!
Our passions at this school are to make sure everyone feels safe and free to be themselves and embrace who they are. We hope to continue promoting the importance of well being at our school and to celebrate special wellbeing days, such as R U OK Day!
Creative Arts: Doughty Emma, Gaji Cocoro, Rees Rose
Our leadership position is creative arts. We work in the ‘paw’casso art room which is the name for our art room at Sacred Heart Mosman. It involves organising the art room, making announcements on the microphone in the morning, opening the art room for everyone at lunchtime and giving people good advice about art. We all wanted this position for different reasons. We wanted to pursue this position because we love the arts and wanted to inspire others to enjoy them. We have helped to organise the art room and promoted art competitions so far this year. More students visit the art room every time it is open than ever before. There are also good entries to our latest competition and other students are also helping to organise the art room. Our passions at school are organising the art room, making competitions, looking at students progression and encouraging everyone to have fun creating and painting art.
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