Bayside, Glen Eira, Port Phillip school captains share hopes for 2021
We asked school leaders from Brighton, Caulfield, St Kilda, Ormond, Elstenwick and Cheltenham about their vision for the future. Here are their inspiring words.
Inner South
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You can have no doubt the future of our state is bright with a stunning response to Leader and heraldsun.com.au’s call for school captains and leaders from across Melbourne to share their vision for 2021.
And after a year of “you’re on mute” shouted into laptops, elbow bumps and online exams, keeping school spirit alive was no easy task. But now students are back in the classroom and ready to make their mark.
In our third annual special report on Tomorrow’s Leaders, we asked school captains across the length and breadth of metropolitan Melbourne: “What is your vision for your schools community in 2021?”.
Captains of schools across the inner south responded, you can see their inspiring words here.
SHELFORD GIRLS’ GRAMMAR, CAULFIELD
Finn McLeish and Kaya Cho
As the school co-captains of Shelford Girls’ Grammar, we see 2021 as a year of connection and community, especially in light of the events of last year.
Being back at school has been a reminder for us all of how important it is to be together in real life, with our peers.
Most of all, we have come to appreciate the collegiality and supportive culture of our Shelford family.
From the junior school all the way to the graduating class of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic presented a myriad of challenges for students and teachers across our school community.
It was a time of isolation, reflection and fear for many.
Our vision for our school this year is to reinforce our school’s values such as integrity and passion, as well as respect and creativity.
A primary goal is to reinstate student passion for learning as well as extra-curricular activities the girls want to be a part of.
Last year inhibited so many people from being involved in the things they love, and we envision that we can re-establish these passions by introducing more opportunities for a wide range of interests, such as sports and performing arts.
Shelford has always fostered a strong sense of community, and we strive to support this even further, building and strengthening relationships, contributing to the welfare of those in the community and the future development of the school.
We endeavour to empower the students of Shelford and encourage them to use their voice and work hard to adhere to the school’s morals and values every day.
We strive to create an environment of fun and excitement at school, and urge the students to treasure every training, every rehearsal and every class in this post-COVID world.
KILVINGTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ORMOND
Ben Churilov and Caitlin Johnston
Taking into account all of the hardships of last year, we have all learned to appreciate the importance of sustaining positive connections within our community.
Upon deeper exploration of what it means to uphold these relationships, we uncovered the overriding significance of having an optimistic outlook on the innumerable variety of problems we as a people face.
The loneliness epidemic has demonstrated the detrimental effect that isolation has on one’s mental health, with the skyrocketing levels of depression and anxiety in today’s youth. However, while we as a community have come to understand the necessity of introspection and striving towards personal improvement, our school also maintains the fundamental understanding that individuals are part of a broader collective; care and selflessness are absolutely imperative to a thriving network, as per Kilvington’s motto ‘not for our own but others good’.
As such, our vision for 2021 is to cultivate a social and academic environment wherein everyone feels connected, motivated, and most importantly, valued.
By providing more opportunities for members of our school to interact with each other such as introducing a netball competition between Houses, aiming to amplify the student voice in the School and seeking to place a greater emphasis on serving our community, we hope to encourage the formation of relationships to further recognise the values and passions shared between students.
This will hopefully enable students to be inspired to share contributions that are meaningful and profound, encouraging progression towards a more unified and prosperous future.
LEIBLER YAVNEH COLLEGE, ELSTERNWICK
Ellie Goldenberg, Yossi Bart, Eli Segman and Zofi Rubenstein-Slesenger
As elected leaders we wish to create a space in which all students, regardless of formal title, feel empowered to take action and campaign for what they believe in. We do this by facilitating school events, communal initiatives and fund raising for various causes. We want to highlight that all students are leaders in their own right and actively contribute to maintaining the warmth and vibrancy of our school environment.
Further, we aim to keep our ‘fingers on the pulse’ to ensure that the student voice is heard by members of the staff Senior Leadership Team. Maintaining open lines of communication between students and staff, is our obligation as student leaders. Weekly we meet with our College Principal, Ms Cherylyn Skewes, to initiate and discuss important student events. We want to ensure that every student enjoys a vast array of school experiences, in order to become active members of the Jewish and broader community.
ST MICHAEL’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ST KILDA
Mia Allen and Zac Price-Wojcik
As students with a platform, it is our role to elevate the voices of our fellow peers, whether it is encouraging each other to participate locally, or striving to make fundamental changes in the wider world.
People of our generation are the leaders of tomorrow, constantly evolving and changing. We need to vocalise their thoughts, ideas, and motivations, without which growth will not occur.
Our vision is for the St Michael’s community to be characterised by its inclusivity, where the contribution of each individual is encouraged, respected, and valued.
We want students at St Michael’s to feel connected to their community by elevating and empowering the student body to have their voices heard.
Each of us has the power to make a positive difference in the lives of others and together we can be a powerful force of positive change for equality and justice, as contributing citizens to the community in which we belong.
We wish for all St Michael’s students to confidently step into the next stage of their lives and confront the real world, as community-focused individuals who strive to create a better world for all.
CAULFIELD GRAMMAR SCHOOL, ST KILDA EAST
Nicola Hansford
As we move into 2021, I think that at the heart of my outlook and vision for our school community is that I want Caulfield Grammar to be a place of inclusion. When I first came to the school in year seven, I might have only known one or two people to start with, but as the year began, I always felt I had a place within the school, as if I fit in. Now, with strong friends along with teachers who have always supported me and a loving family at home. I feel more than ever as if I’m a part of something bigger than myself, and as though I’m accepted and supported every day at school.
So, as 2021 continues my vision would be for students to feel that same sense of belonging that I have been lucky enough to experience each day. I would like for every member of the Caulfield Grammar community to come to school feeling that they are accepted to be themselves and welcomed regardless of the unique complexities we each possess as individuals. I want Caulfield Grammar students to look out for one another, as many already do, and make choices for the benefit of others as well as themselves. I think that if Caulfield continues to nurture as a place of inclusion, then our school can become a community where everyone has the potential to thrive and belong, a privilege I have been lucky enough to experience, and always hope to share.
Nicholas Knight
Last year’s unprecedented events affected everyone in many previously unimaginable ways, and the Caulfield Grammar community was no exception. One of the primary issues was the inability to physically interact with peers. This was a challenge to many, however the benefits we gained from this experience have provided us with knowledge and understanding that would not have been discernible otherwise. This setback has fostered optimism and ambitious aspirations from the community, which will result in positive outcomes. The resilience of students has allowed us to maintain the enthusiasm that was apparent prior to COVID-19, and in doing so we are eager to learn from this experience.
We will ensure we capitalise on all opportunities presented to us. We aim to reignite the strong cohesion between year levels, students and staff that slightly waned because of the pandemic – and assist the wider community in parallel with our own desires. This entails a strong promotion of each individual’s strengths as well as encouraging others to strive for excellence, while recognising how we can grow as a community. We will strive to actively work hard to understand each other and our backgrounds.
FIRBANK GRAMMAR SCHOOL, BRIGHTON
Isabell Escott and Kari Robinson
Our vision for Firbank is creating an environment where even more of our students can make the most of the wide range of opportunities Firbank offers.
As our value of the year is curiosity, we are encouraging the students to be curious about what Firbank offers, and give something new a go.
Curiosity is also about asking questions, so we have asked our school community, “What were you deprived of in 2020, and how are you going to take it back to make the most of 2021?”
We want to present all the amazing opportunities within Firbank so we can help everyone find their passion.
We also hope to engage further with our local community through community service projects — particularly those focused on tackling climate change.
We are incredibly grateful that we are back on school grounds this year, and as such want to embrace every opportunity, and we will encourage Firbank students, staff and the wider community to do the same.
BRIGHTON SECONDARY COLLEGE, BRIGHTON
Kiyara Perera, Bethany Pham and Isabel Overhill
With 2020 being such a trying year, at Brighton Secondary College our vision for 2021 is to
appreciate and build on the interconnectedness between students across year levels.
The importance of being in school and interacting with peers as well as one’s teachers is something many have realised after lockdown.
We hope to encourage this by promoting the many leadership committees we have available and embellishing on our existing positive opportunities for student connectedness such as the peer support program, SRC, lunchtime clubs, wellbeing, debating and environment teams.
The student run newsletter, an initiative that is led by students will promote student communication across year levels to create a stronger, more close-knit student community.
We want everyone to have a voice, feel valued and welcome possibilities.
As college captains, we understand that our link to the wider community is just as important as our tie to our own school.
Therefore, a Student Leaders Network has been organised. This involves leaders from a number of secondary schools working together to share our ideas.
Our international community faced hardship with some of our peers being unable to go home last year.
We were able to support them by celebrating the Lunar New Year by creating activities that sparked curiosity about the cultures of our students, while creating an inclusive atmosphere.
‘Everyone Belongs day’, held on the March 19, aided with this by combining, ‘Harmony day’ and ‘Bullying No-Way day’ to support our students.
The many opportunities presented at our school, whether it be leadership, sporting or academic, are widely encouraged. Through these opportunities, students are able to work together as a team and achieve the core school value of excellence.
The experiences of secondary school life and the legacy left behind is one that stays with students forever.
For that reason, we, as college captains, hope to inspire the student body to build an environment that seizes opportunities with integrity and respect.
CHELTENHAM SECONDARY COLLEGE, CHELTENHAM
In 2021 our collective goal is to take a student-led learning approach and focus on four main
areas for school improvement – ‘Curriculum’, ‘Extra-curricular and Co-curricular programs’,
‘Mental Health’, and ‘Environmental Factors’. We believe we can make a real difference in all
these areas and together, for the students and by our students, we can follow our individual and
collective passions and dreams to create a school that excels and one we all can be extremely
proud of. We pledge to create a positive community in an environment where every individual
feels that they are heard. As a team we can’t wait to see what the year holds and see all
students achieve their personal best.
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