Sydney’s southwest 2022 school captains, leaders
Already picked by their peers for their leadership skills, these young southwest Sydney students have ambitious plans for the future.
The Express
Don't miss out on the headlines from The Express. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The brightest young kids of southwest Sydney have been picked by their peers to lead them in school, but they are already thinking to the future.
With dreams of winning Nobel prizes in literature, helping out new refugees, and making sure their peers get the mental health support they need, these young people want to make a positive impact on their communities.
Each was asked why they put their name forward, their aspirations for the future, and what they want to achieve in school.
The below responses were edited for length and clarity.
Ashour Kabrial – School Captain, Fairfield High School
I arrived in Australia in 2016 as a refugee with my family. It was challenging however I was able to overcome hardship with the incredible support networks available in Australia and through Fairfield High School. I hope to share my story with others and encourage them to continue striving in life regardless of how dark some days may be.
I want to show others that you can thrive and become the greatest version of yourself no matter who you are, how many times you have failed, or where you come from. I wanted to lead the SRC team, so we can all work together as a team to make sure that the student voice is heard and make sure that the school environment is safe.
Once I graduate from high school, I hope to attend university and undertake a Bachelor of Structural Engineering. I would like to use my career to investigate out the best solution to a problem within existing natural and technical limitations, human skills, financial constraints and political requirements.
I hope to continue working with people to create awareness and inspire them to make positive choices and changes starting first with themselves then influence the people around them. I hope to continue collaborating with people from various cultures and perspectives as I believe it is healthy to share ideas and respectfully work together, celebrating our differences.
Noora Yaqow – School Captain, Fairfield High School
I believe that almost everyone, regardless of who they are or where they come from, can make a difference in the world, which is why I aspired to become a school captain.
Throughout the years I have devoted energy and time to academic achievements and as a refugee, my family and I migrated to a foreign country at a young age, not knowing the native language and having to adapt to a new lifestyle and new social standards, which I now call my home.
I am community minded and enjoy helping people, thus, in few years time I view myself implementing long-term health prospects in provincial communities.
Collaborating with our cohort will allow our school to have a voice in the manner of events we as a collective wish to participate in, as it is engaging not only for ourselves as captains, but also for our fellow peers.
While serving as school captain, one of my goals is to get to know my peers further such that they feel comfortable in approaching me, as well as to get to know the other grades and allow them to get to know me.
This position has enabled me to further my community and explore my potential in assisting the needs of individuals and providing many students and the school with prodigious opportunities to discover.
Dennis Suro – vice-captain, Fairfield High School
As a leader my number one priority is reflecting my fellow students and listening to their desires.
I want to help the Fairfield community and hopefully the wider community in the near future by becoming the MP of Fairfield and studying a Bachelor of Law and International Study.
As a leader, I would like to achieve many things, at my time at Fairfield High School but also in the Fairfield community.
That includes educating the Fairfield community about the benefits of recycling, getting a green waste bin in the Fairfield community, allowing individuals to recycle plants, grass and branches, more education programs after school hours to engage students with their learning as well as their wellbeing, and using renewable material in the canteen packaging.
Mia Telaj – Vice-captain, Fairfield High School
I always have the desire to get involved with the school leadership team as the mentors and staff work selflessly to ensure students receive support with their social and academic needs.
In tomorrow’s world, I envision myself contributing to society through my desired career. I aspire to attend university and study medicine or nursing.
My parents arrived in Australia as refugees to provide me with a high quality of life and opportunity to succeed. I am grateful for them and can empathise with all refugees who have had to involuntarily migrate and change their life due to economic and political crises.
This experience has allowed me to understand how grateful I am to be here in this amazing country filled with opportunities regardless of our status. I hope to inspire and encourage others to take pride in living here and embracing the wonderful limitless opportunities and resources that are available to us to enhance our quality of life.
I hope to spark positivity and change within people I meet and remind them hardships will naturally ease, as it did for my family. It is a necessary universal human experience that allows us to become resilient.
I hope to contribute and possibly deliver workshops and programs that will address wellness, resilience, and strategies to overcome the obstacles that life throws at us. This allows us to enjoy the journey and the inevitable roller coasters that we may be forced to ride.
Jonathan Ou – School Captain, Prairiewood High School
Prairiewood High School’s strong leadership culture meant that I had many student and teacher mentors who have guided and moulded me not only into the leader I am today, but also the person I am. The legacy they established had inspired me into leadership and I wanted to continue that and extend that legacy to the generations beyond myself.
After graduating, I also plan to attend university to complete a Bachelor of Secondary Education to hopefully continue working within our school communities.
I hope that through the work myself, my leadership team and our support staff accomplish, we inspire at least one student towards leadership aspirations, just as previous leaders have motivated me to do.
Alisa Lam- School Captain, Prairiewood High School
All throughout high school, I have looked up to all the school leaders and in particular, the female leaders of the school. They have inspired me, and like them, I hope by being a school captain – a role model, a friend and a catalyst for change – I inspire other female students to take on leadership roles.
After high school, I plan on attending university and studying for a bachelor’s degree in primary education. Teachers play such an active role in helping and developing the future minds of society and to be able to be a part of that is something I’m passionate about. I also intend to be more involved with local volunteer mentoring programs and clubs.
Gassia Pamboukian – School Captain, Bossley Park Public School
I put my name forward because I wanted to show that I can be responsible. I also like to assist people like teachers and students. I would like to graduate high school, get into a good university and go to medical school. Perhaps even start my own family. I would like to achieve becoming a doctor so I can help people with what I’ve learned. Most of all, I want to make my family proud.
Marcus Toma – School Captain, Bossley Park School
I put my name down to be part of the SRC so that I could show other students how to be respectful and responsible.
My future aspirations are to become a teacher and teach students what I’ve learned. I would like to help achieve a good learning environment for future leaders and other SRC members.
Devita Bhatti – School Captain, John Edmondson High School
Being a shy person at first, I never found myself having a positive self-esteem and confidence in putting myself forward for a role in leadership.
The feeling of being alone and struggling to fit in, is an area I strive to bring awareness to as it is not spoken about but many young students go through it daily.
From my personal experience of not being able to speak up as I was always a shy person, becoming a school leader allowed me the opportunity to hopefully inspire other students to do the same.
Feeling a sense of belonging within the school as well as community encourages positive mental health to young peers. Being able to make a small difference in anyone’s lives will mean so much to me and hopefully a leadership role can help achieve that.
Isaac Quach – School Captain, John Edmondson High School
Coming to high school, I initially struggled with finding a footing with what my passion was. I saw peers excel in arts, music, sports and never knew where I belonged, or what activities suited me.
It was not until I was elected for the school’s Student Representative Council (SRC), where my passion for leadership really began to grow.
To me, being a leader is about inspiring and encouraging the voices of the school community. I strive to be responsive to the values of my fellow students to open up change among the attitudes of the school community.
Moving onto the bigger world, outside of high school, I strive to carry on the authenticity, active listening and self-awareness that I have developed as a leader into everyday life. Currently one of my goals is going to university, to study either nutrition or biomedical engineering.
I am also interested in joining a non-government organisation, such as RUOK, to help spread awareness on mental health to everyone across the country. In being a school captain, it has built my confidence, my communication skills, and my resilience in handling different situations in a resourceful manner.
I strive to make mental health awareness an everyday thing.
Angela Tran – School Captain, Bonnyrigg Heights Public School
I wanted to be a role model to other students and so they have some to look up to, so the rest of the community have a friendly face to see in the playground and that they feel like they are valued.
I have been part of the SRC (Student Representative Council) in the past and wanted to continue in a leadership role.
I want to complete a university degree and dance professionally, and live a happy, healthy life.
Anastasija Banic, Vice Captain –Bonnyrigg Heights Public School
I want to be in the position to make improvements so school is a place that students want to come to each day instead of a place they have to come to.
This school has been like my second home since kindergarten and I wanted to give back to the school that has given me so much.
In the future, I want to complete university and get a degree, and get a successful job in my chosen profession.
And I want to travel the world especially to France and see the Eiffel Tower.
Alehandro Petreski, School Captain – Bonnyrigg Heights Public School
I want to make the school a better place for the students and the teachers. So the students have a happy and safe place to learn.
I was inspired by the school leaders from the past and what to have the same responsibilities as them.
In the future I want to play professional tennis for Australia, complete university and become a space engineer or a marine biologist.
And I want to win the Australian Open and have a wife and family one day.
Marko Lojanica, Vice Captain – Bonnyrigg Heights Public School
I want to be in the position to make changes and improvements to the school environment
Being vice-captain helps to develop my self confidence and public speaking skills.
While at university, I want to pursue my passion for cooking and maybe work part-time in a cafe or restaurant, and to complete university and get a degree in law.
Abdulrahman Tijani – School Captain, Bankstown Senior College
Teachers and students recommending I put my name forward made me consider all the times I intentionally missed out on student leadership roles in my previous schools.
The irony being that later on, I would find myself, occasionally, among those who would complain about the lack of activities and events in the school. I also knew that being the school leader will allow me to meet and interact with more students and help improve my leadership skills.
In the end, I decided that there was no better time to walk the walk so … I signed up.
My future aspiration is essentially to run a business, or at least play a role in one, where I’ll be able to use my skills and knowledge to benefit others and make people’s lives more enjoyable.
In my speech, I promised the students that I’ll try my best, together with the teachers and the other SRC members, to fill the school year with as many activities and events as possible because quite frankly, that’s what we students want.
So, my goal is to keep to my promise and ensure that in a couple of years time, we’ll all be able to look back at this year and remember not the exams and the stress, but the fun and enjoyable memories.
Sonia Jando – School Captain, Bankstown Senior College
Being a leader was always my passion. I thought I would be a great leader because I am the type of person who cares about others, loves making them happy and feel comfortable and safe. I have patience and a sense of understanding of others.
Since I was 12 years old, I dreamt of achieving qualifications in the medical field completing further education to be an ophthalmologist. I am inspired to complete my Certificate III in Health Services Assistance to volunteer at hospitals and treat patients and give them help as much as I can.
I think my Arabic and Assyrian language skills will inspire me to have good communication with patients at hospitals who are non-English speakers. I am driven to succeed in my education, not only to improve my skills and become a useful and productive member of society but also to serve as a role model to young people who, like me, have to overcome obstacles of disadvantage and dispossession.
I am a person who aims high and believes in accomplishing these aims with intense effort. As a girl from a refugee background, I have suffered through many things like war, hunger and not feeling safe. That experience made me want to ensure those things will not happen to any person by donating to charities to provide food and a place to live and feel safe and warm.
As a leader at school I have the opportunity to speak on behalf of those students who have suffered because of war and displacement. These students are often silenced by their poor English or their lack of confidence due to social alienation. My position as an articulate and passionate advocate gives me the opportunity to provide my fellow students with hope and this can give them the motivation to become resilient and successful.
Role models are important especially for young people and those who are rebuilding their lives after trauma. I hope that I will achieve great results in my HSC because I will show my peers and those who follow me that while success is not a given it is achievable through hard work and effort. As a leader I will be a role model who can inspire and encourage others who, like myself are determined to succeed in their new country.
Kabir K, School Captain – Casula Public School
To me, leadership is not being the boss and ordering everyone around, it is being kind and compassionate. I also put forward my name because I have experience in SRC and other leadership committees in which I was the voice of my class.
My future aspirations range from academic occupations to sports careers or entering advanced leadership roles like in the parliament of Australia.
My biggest aspiration is to become a fighter pilot in the Royal Australian Air Force or RAAF.
I would also like to take action in climate change and do something for the environment while leading people to live an eco-safe life.
For all of this I hope to do my HSC and attend university.
Also living a crime-free, peaceful and working life is what I would like to achieve.
And finally, receiving the Nobel prize for Literature would also be something I would like to achieve.
More Coverage
Whopping amount Sydney councils are spending on ‘staff travel’
Seminars focused on climate change and the benefits of cycling were among overseas visits taken by council employees last financial year as Sydney councils racked up a combined travel cost bill of more than $7 million.
Meet the talented young artists from ARTEXPRESS 2025
The annual art exhibition which shows some of the most outstanding and exemplary artworks across NSW by HSC visual arts students has opened. Meet the students and see their amazing works.