Monash 2019 school captains share hopes, dreams for future
They’re the next generation of leaders, but what do Melbourne’s school captains really have to offer the community? In one of our most ambitious projects ever, we’ve asked every Year 12 school captain: what difference can your generation make to the world?
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They’re the next generation of leaders, but what do Melbourne’s school captains really have to offer the community?
In one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by Leader Community News, we asked every Year 12 school captain in Melbourne: What difference can your generation make to the world?
The words below are their own and the responses — like the students themselves — are insightful.
They show hope, optimism and a real desire to make a difference, undaunted by the challenges ahead.
And they all show a maturity well beyond their years. Our future is in very good hands.
MORE:
MANNINGHAM AND WHITEHORSE SCHOOL CAPTAINS
LILYDALE & YARRA VALLEY AND MAROONDAH SCHOOL CAPTAINS
GREATER DANDENONG AND KNOX SCHOOL CAPTAINS
ASHWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
Katriana Fernando, 17 and Sachindu Wickrama Achchillage, 17
We are so fortunate to be a part of a generation that values social justice and appreciates diversity. It gives us a unique advantage to tackle the problems present in our world today.
Previous generations were isolated by distance and their ideas, vision and goals slowed down by snail mail. Our generation has the internet and social media, we can share in an instant. Our connectedness enables us to understand others before we seek to be understood; empathy and emotional intelligence ensure that we can work cohesively toward common goals.
This connection has created a plethora of communities, both physically and online, where teenagers can come together to support one another in a way no generation has been able to before. We’ve grown listening to the wisdom of Malala Yousafzai and the Stoneman Douglas shooting victims.We have watched people our age endure horrible tragedies and then respond in a way that galvanises and empowers us to propel change. Our generation is educated in a way that fosters creative young minds who are exceptionally bright and motivated to be positive members of society.
AVILA COLLEGE
Chiara Smith, 17 and Alexandra Michael, 18
Our generation can make a difference by raising awareness. As leaders of our school community, young adults we are in the prime position to bring about change through action.
We aim to raise awareness about social justice issues faced in our wider community. This is not only done through fundraising, but through educating our peers about the injustices faced by a variety of marginalised groups.
The indigenous Australians, the homeless, the elderly, asylum seekers; these vulnerable people need our attention. In turn, this will inspire other members of our community to share their knowledge and work for justice for all.
Additionally, as young people we aim to raise awareness about the importance of building strong links in our community, where all feel welcome, engaged and valued. We are in the influential position of having a strong voice, energy and the passion required to bring about change.
Through our awareness, our actions and our commitment to addressing social injustice prevalent in our society, we can lead our generation to affect real change.
BRENTWOOD SECONDARY COLLEGE
Jake Hume, 17 and Rachelle Dixon, 17
We believe our generation has a unique perspective in comparison to our predecessors.
We have a well-developed worldview and understand that collaboration and co-operation build the foundation of success.
Due to this, our generation will be the ones who constantly strive for more in order to make the much needed change in society. In the 21st century, the dream of wealth and power has made way for our deeply ingrained hunger to make a difference.
This is exemplified by the plethora of passionate visionaries, those who once would have used their entrepreneurial skills to advance their own self-interests, and are now opting to start charities and non-profit organisations to help the less fortunate in their communities.
As a result, when these men and women rise to prominence in global politics, they will redefine ‘world power’ with a greater focus on real world issues such as developing nations, environmental concerns, and the abuse of human rights.
Therefore, in contrast to the present day, our generation will allocate resources towards promoting growth for the betterment of humanity as improving life on a global scale.
This world is in need of change and it is our generation who are caused to bring it.
MORE:
MARIBYRNONG AND MOONEE VALLEY SCHOOL CAPTAINS
MORELAND, NORTHCOTE, PRESTON AND HEIDELBERG SCHOOL CAPTAINS
HUME, SUNBURY AND MACEDON RANGES SCHOOL CAPTAINS
WHITTLESEA AND DIAMOND VALLEY SCHOOL CAPTAINS
CAULFIELD GRAMMAR SCHOOL — WHEELERS HILL CAMPUS
Ryan Bicknell, 17 and Ellie Foran, 17
In a world of continually developing technology, our current generations are growing up in a society like never before.
Whilst social media has placed emphasis on fulfilling stereotypes and can lead to a sense of self exclusion, the benefits of the platform Millennials are using for social action is being overlooked.
Young people today are more aware of the world and the issues within it, largely because of the information and perspectives that are available to them.
It is allowing us to adopt new perspectives and understand the importance of the social justice issues facing our world, such as climate change, gender inequality, and LGBTQI+ rights.
The Black Lives Matter March in 2016, organised on social media, is an example of how the tools available to our generation can make a difference in the world, and raise awareness for something more important than ourselves.
While our generation is often labelled as one that only looks inward on ourselves, we are the ones with the capability, knowledge and understanding of how to look inward at each other, and care for others in our community.
We have the capacity to do great things — the challenge for us is to inspire others to make them believe that they can too.
HIGHVALE SECONDARY COLLEGE
Samuel Bickley, 17 and Mia Tambakis, 17
As Millennials, we feel we have an obligation to do better than previous generations.
We have inherited a world that is flawed and is asking us to make change.
While previous generations have made strides in technological developments, they haven’t succeeded in utilising its full potential.
War, conflict and failed international relations are dividing the human race.
Trends in population growth and unsustainable behaviours are threatening the global environment.
And our inability to share our resources and utilities is facilitating worldwide poverty.
We have the opportunity now to use what we have learnt, and make a real impact for the future.
We need to work together to make a positive influence on our world. Slowly, but surely, we have the potential, as a conscious generation, to fix such global issues.
We can achieve this by interacting with different groups of people, learning more about each other and accepting the diversity that is prevalent in our society.
HUNTINGTOWER SCHOOL
Emma Carroll, 17 and Jordan Lentini, 17
Our generation has a bad reputation for not caring, being stuck to their phones and being barely able to hold a conversation. We’ve been labelled lazy, careless, brunch loving, slacktivists keyboard warriors. But we’ve been given those names by people who don’t know us.
Our generation is going to change the world. Never before have we had access to worldly information, constantly being able to understand what is going on everywhere. Because of this, because we have accessibility, we have unlimited potential. We understand how dangerous climate change is, we get angry about social injustices, we identify the rights from wrongs, we know where the line is and we don’t try to cross it.
Our generation understands people like no other generation has and will. We are able to form human connection with any person on this earth, we are able to show empathy, understanding and we are able to create change.
Our generation will make a difference in the world, we will bring back human connection, not in the way it has always been, but in our way.
MORE:
BAYSIDE, CAULFIELD AND PORT PHILLIP SCHOOL CAPTAINS
FRANKSTON AND MORNINGTON PENINSULA SCHOOL CAPTAINS
JOHN MONASH SCIENCE SCHOOL
Francine Machin, 17 and Raj Gaddam, 17
In a generation where young adults are presented with many opportunities, the rise in societal expectations through social media is redefining the lives of teenagers, causing an increase in mental illnesses among youth.
The constant comparison on online platforms, pressurises people into becoming someone they’re not, whether it be the way they look, act or even feel.
Social media could be a place to come together, to share aspirations, and to grow from one another. We have to make this change.
The conversation regarding the equality of all genders has been an ongoing one, and has led to the stigma of gender stereotyping to slowly change. As young adults begin to enter the workforce, there is a harsh realisation that many fields such as STEM, have been historically dominated by men. As our generation sheds light on a new perspective on equality, it is the input of all genders which will allow for the brilliance of knowledge, creativity, and thought-processes to be further enhanced.
With equal opportunity and social media, a unique space is now presented for us.
MAZENOD COLLEGE
Elvis Tran, 17
Millennials have grown up in a world where it is possible to find out almost anything in an instant.
We are equipped with more tools to drive change than ever before; with the internet, it is now possible to access, share and distribute information around the globe for free — what would have been unimaginable only 50 years ago.
Through technology and social media, our generation can promote social causes and hold institutions to account.
‘Hashtag’ activism and social-media driven projects to mobilise support for disadvantaged people and encourage them to share their stories are only a few examples of how we could utilise the ample opportunities available to us. By collaborating with not only our generation but other generations as well, and working in conjunction with the technological world, we would be able to tackle the most pressing issues facing the globe including climate change, inequality and poverty.
While our generation is not the immediate solution to all of the world’s problems, we most certainly have the capacity to change the trajectory of the world.
MOUNT WAVERLEY SECONDARY COLLEGE
Demitri Kaminis, 17 and Laura Chauca Diaz, 17
Our generation is viewed by others to have an unhealthy obsession with social media and technological devices. These ‘obsessions’, however, can be the very things that help us make a brighter future.
We have caused social media platforms to explode in recent years. Increased use of social media has lead to increased awareness on issues such as gender equality, LGBTIQ+ rights and racial equality. Our use of these platforms, liking and sharing these stories, is key in promoting worthwhile causes by helping people fundraise for organisations such as Neale Daniher’s ‘Fight MND’, or encouraging people to shave their heads for research to battle leukaemia and alopecia.
Although previous generations have fostered conditions of equality for all, ours will be the one with the best chance of eradicating discrimination through empathy towards others and will to fight for what’s right.
Social media platforms allow us, and larger communities, to communicate and join together in an effort to instigate change, as seen through movements like #MeToo and ‘Black Lives Matter’.
As we familiarise ourselves with the technology that invades society, we gain the ability to use it for good. We use it to work with others — to create links, bridge gaps — and use this power to lead necessary change, together.
MORE:
MOORABBIN AND MORDIALLOC CHELSEA SCHOOL CAPTAINS
PROGRESS AND STONNINGTON SCHOOL CAPTAINS
OAKLEIGH GRAMMAR
William Athanasakis, 17 and Vasiliki Tamvakis, 17
Throughout history, we have evolved; learning from the mistakes of our predecessors; seeking to continuously change for the betterment of our world.
We have seen the developments of modern medicine, the creation of the internet and the birth of air travel; all of which have revolutionised civilisation.
Yet, we still strive for change, constantly longing for and seeking it, in the hope that through our endeavours, we may make the world a better place. Despite overcoming a substantial amount of issues in the past, there are still many significant concerns that remain prominent in our present-day society. Our obstacles and challenges lie in ignorance, not of the truth, but of other perspectives.
We have become so invested in working against each other when as a united, global force we could be doing so much more.
Through the utilisation of the advanced technology available to us, we can communicate with others, share ideas and listen to theirs, seeking first to understand than to be understood.
It is only through understanding that we can truly overcome the divisions that exist between us and grow.
PRESBYTERIAN LADIES’ COLLEGE
Imashi Iddawela, 17 and Hannah Harvey, 17
Difference is an inevitable consequence as our world morphs with accordance to the prevailing core beliefs of current leaders.
With each generation comes change, not necessarily comprising solely of revolutionary outcomes, but also the relatively smaller impacts arising from meaningful gestures of others.
Small acts of kindness have the powerful ability to transform at a large-scale, through their subtle repercussions on the lives of those surrounding you. Bringing difference to the world can be achieved through actions such as empowering others; by proving support and creating an inclusive environment.
The interconnected nature of our world together with the rise of technology, have not only exposed our generation to the rich diversity in cultures, perspectives and beliefs, but has taught us that these differences are what make our world so unique.
We believe that our generation will model this sense of inclusivity, and such frequent enforcement of meaningful actions will one day lead to large-scale change.
SACRED HEART GIRLS COLLEGE
Ebony Kellett, 17
With over 40 active conflicts occurring, terrorism and the threats of climate change and a nuclear war consistently looming, it is easy to be pessimistic about the world in its current state.
Nevertheless, I have seen my generation actively approach combating the issues dividing society, and demonstrate great love, acceptance and courage; reaching higher levels of education than previous generations. With great endeavour, alongside global pioneers who work consistently to pursue their environmental and humanitarian missions, you’d almost think it easier to ask what my generation couldn’t do for our world.
Bana Tut, 17
Despite the complexity of the topics that we are constantly being bombarded with, our progressive thinking and pragmatic approach to these issues, demonstrate our willingness to reform various aspects of our society. Unlike previous generations, we have the power of neo-activism. A concept driven by modernity, which enables the connectivity of individuals globally through the internet. An example is the #MarchForOurFuture march started by 15-year-old Greta Thunberg.
Through the use of social media, several marches have taken place across the globe. I believe our neo-activism will combat gender inequity and the mistreatment of refugees by our government.
SOUTH OAKLEIGH COLLEGE
Elizabeth Demosthenous, 17 and Lachlan Wilkin, 17
As the leaders of South Oakleigh College we aim to inspire our fellow students to push themselves to new heights.
We want to demonstrate to our peers through our actions and words, that they can achieve anything if they believe they can and have a desire to do so.
We applied for our positions to show others that effort, motivation and the will to serve others are key ingredients to success in any organisation. Our role as College Captains is more than a title and a badge; it is about supporting, negotiating and working together in all areas.
Every time we hear a peer’s story, it resinates with us as it becomes our story, one where we aspire to succeed in who we want to be in the future.
As students, we have a voice and believe we can support our peers and our school community.
For us, Nelson Mandela inspired us to continue with our education and promote this within our school community as he said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”.
WESLEY COLLEGE — GLEN WAVERLEY CAMPUS
Lucy Poole, 17 and Lachlan Pont, 17
As a younger generation, we believe that we bring a fresh perspective on life; whereby kindness and equality are of focus.
We have both had the privilege of travelling overseas to third world countries (namely, Africa and Nepal), and we were struck by the stark lack of material wealth, yet the utter vibrancy of life which pervaded communities. Communities were alive with rich culture and compassion despite facing financial hardship.
Such experiences resonated with us; learning how one can make the best of a poor situation through positivity.
Although it often seems that there is a surplus of serious global challenges — the effects of climate change, ecological disasters, issues regarding refugees, terrorism — which pose questions over the security of our future, we believe the younger generation will offer fresh perspectives on the issues facing our world.
We are a generation of equality, positivity and open-mindedness.
The power of collaboration and fresh perspective will find new solutions to old problems.
We are looking forward to the future; acknowledging that there is no challenge too great which cannot be made insignificant through connective nature of optimism and equality.
WHEELERS HILL SECONDARY COLLEGE
Isabelle Jones, 17 and Jasmine Sweeney, 17
We as young people have a voice. In order for us to make a positive contribution to the world we need to use that to our advantage and speak up for changes we want to see in the world.
Bringing awareness to issues starts the ball rolling which allows others the chance to use their voice knowing that they will be supported in their views.
A difference that needs to be made is the growing barrier between different cultures within our society.
Right now at school we have many different cultures that make up our school and also our surrounding area.
We need to encourage everyone to embrace those around them and make it known that we can learn from everyone no matter their ethnicity or age. We can connect with people all around the world through the use of social media.
Us as young people have the resources to expand our voices and make them heard so why aren’t we doing that now?
I believe that our generation can change some of our world’s habits for the better as long as we are united as one.
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