The 2026 school captains from Melbourne’s western suburbs
Schools from Melbourne’s booming western suburbs have elected their leaders for 2026. Meet the next generation of ambitious leaders from the west.
Schools from Melbourne’s booming western suburbs have elected their leaders for 2026.
Meet some of the ambitious next generation of leadings coming out of the schools in Melbourne’s west.
Suzanne Cory High School — Gavin Landicho, Sybil Azim, Tim Nguyen and Tanisi Nadkarni
Why did you want to be school captain?
Gavin: To be a school captain was not just any leadership position to me but a chance to start a legacy. One where others can feed off the positive energy, and where a community grounded in support, encouragement, and shared strength begins to flourish. I wanted to take on that challenge and represent the voices of students who might not always be heard. It’s also a chance for me to grow as a person and give back to the place that’s shaped who I am.
Sybil: The role of school captain is an extremely special one, because of the importance of collaboration and communication to the role. They’re invaluable skills that genuinely impact the daily lives of all the people around us, and the thought of such an impact, in all different school settings was what motivated me to submit my application.
Seeing the previous captains before me leave their marks on all of us – through hallway exchanges, moving speeches and friendly welcomes at events – it was what the captains left in all of us, the power they worked to build – with others – in order to lift everyone up, that really made the role stand out.
Tim: High school is never easy. It’s a mix of growing up, discovering yourself, and navigating a world that you are never truly going to be familiar with. Having someone approachable, friendly, and reliable to turn to can make all the difference, and I wanted to be that person for others. School Captains have the power to shift the culture of the school environment, and I wanted to create a space where people feel seen, supported, and celebrated for who they are; because that is exactly what I would have loved, coming into the school.
Tanisi: There’s nothing like being one of those faces around the school that are sure to be kind, reliable, and always accommodating. Being the reason a junior student or peer strives to excel is the best kind of validation there is for a youth leader. To truly answer this question, however, I’d have to tap into my younger self, as fulfilling this role feels like bringing her dreams and the intangible potential she saw in herself to life.
How does it feel to be taking up the role?
Gavin: To be a school captain was not just any leadership position to me but a chance to start a legacy. One where others can feed off the positive energy, and where a community grounded in support, encouragement, and shared strength begins to flourish. I wanted to take on that challenge and represent the voices of students who might not always be heard. It’s also a chance for me to grow as a person and give back to the place that’s shaped who I am.
Sybil: Incredible!! With the few events we’ve already had the opportunity to lead, and the people we’ve begun to form connections with, the beauty of the role is already starting to shine through in the impact it’s allowing us to create within our school community. From getting us Captains to think outside of the box to cater and work towards aiding our peers in a range of domains – from arts, sports, extra curricular and house – I’ve had the pleasure to expand not only my own problem solving skills, but I’ve seen those of my peers evolve as well. The impacts we’ve had the opportunity to leave have only excited us further of the potentials we have the opportunity to pursue in our future tomorrows as school captains.
Tim: It’s both new and familiar at the same time. On one hand, everything feels fresh; there are new responsibilities, and new perspectives to consider. But at the same time, I’m surrounded by people and places that have always been part of my life. Now, though, I get to work closely with teachers and students that I’ve known for years but might have never really had the chance to talk to personally. As expected, there’s a lot of responsibility that comes with the role, but I’m really lucky to be sharing it with the other three captains.
Tanisi: The role is both challenging and deeply rewarding, which is what makes it so special! Yes, the responsibilities, topped by the everyday troubles of senior high school can be daunting, but the growth in terms of interpersonal communication and proactiveness is unmatched. These skills that my fellow captains and I develop within such a controlled environment can be reflected against a real world context, making us more equipped to contribute to society and shape this world to be a better place for everyone.
What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
Gavin: After school, I’m not completely set on a specific career path yet, but I know I want to pursue something that allows me to make a real difference in people’s lives. The idea of being able to brighten someone’s day or have a lasting positive impact on them is something I truly value. Making others feel supported and seen is what drives me the most in each and every one of my days.
Sybil: My post-high school dreams link quite closely to the skills we’re required to develop as school captains. It’s a dream of mine to get to work in foreign diplomacy – with people and for people – and getting to leave an impact on the world I grew up in from the one I live in now. I think the key skill of learning to communicate and lead others – an art form (if you will!) that is more about uplifting than bossing – is a crucial skill essential for all members of government to utilise in order to be active members of the global community. What I can say though is this, seeing my fellow captains as well as the leaders of this school comforts me on what the future holds, because (fingers crossed!) I think it’s okay to say, the future is in safe hands!
Tim: After graduating, I hope to pursue a career in medicine, specialising in psychiatry. I’ve always been fascinated by human behaviour, why people think, feel, and act the way they do; which naturally led me toward fields like psychology, and maybe even sociology. But it wasn’t until I had the opportunity to do work experience in a hospital that ignited a small spark inside of me, pulling me towards psychiatry. In that environment, I saw people at their most vulnerable, I saw moments of fear, of uncertainty, of hope; and created an aspiration in me to help, in a way that aligns with both my skills and interests. Psychiatry brings together the science of medicine and the humanity of psychology, and I think that combination is where I can make the biggest difference. More than anything, I want to help reduce the stigma around mental health, through advocacy, and accessible education.
Tanisi: Wherever my career, life, or relationships decide to take me, I have only one desire, and that is to grow. To never stop expanding my horizons and let go of this love for learning. I believe there is no end goal but only to live every day absorbing everything around you, whether it be finally understanding the strange concentrations labelled on your medicine, or correctly interpreting a French menu card. The future is full of meeting new people and experiencing new things, and I’m absolutely excited for whatever there is to come.
Werribee Secondary College — Violet Hemmings, Sohaaib Ahmad, Luna Putra and Cooper Johnstone
Why did you want to be school captain?
Violet: I wanted to be school captain because I wanted to make a real difference in our school community and leave a positive impact. Taking on this role gave me a sense of purpose and responsibility, and I wanted to accomplish something meaningful before I graduated.
Sohaaib: I never really thought about becoming school captain until the application forms were released. It was a spur of the moment type of thing, but the more I thought about it, the more I reasoned with myself about whether or not to apply, I realised that I wanted to become school captain for the experience. The friendships, opportunities and connections built through the once in a lifetime experience.
Luna: I wanted to challenge myself by taking on a leadership role, in order to grow as an individual as well as helping my school community.
Cooper: I wanted to become a school captain to make a difference in my school while I’m here and to help make a difference for years to come.
How does it feel to be taking up the role?
Violet: It feels really exciting to be taking up the role of school captain, even though it can be quite time-consuming at times. It’s a challenging but very rewarding experience, and overall, I’m really glad to have had the privilege of being in this position.
Sohaaib: I haven’t had much time with this role yet, there’s still a full year of responsibilities ahead, but so far it feels good to be in a position where I can speak for the students of this school.
Luna: I feel honoured to have been chosen for this role, it comes with responsibilities and opportunities that will help me reinforce positivity within our environment.
Cooper: I am excited to take up this role and look forward to creating and hosting events with my leadership team in 2026.
What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
Violet: After I graduate from high school, I want to go into law, although I’m not yet sure which area I’d like to specialise in. I plan to use my experience as school captain to strengthen my leadership, communication, and confidence, which I believe will help me thrive in my future career as a lawyer.
Sohaaib: After graduating my goal is to get into a course related to either medicine or psychology. It’s going to take a lot of effort to balance out studying with captain responsibilities, but that’s just another quality this role requires.
Luna: I hope to get into Melbourne University where I would study biomedicine, which will lead me to becoming a dermatologist in the future or taking on another role in the medical field, as I aspire to have a fulfilling career where I can meet and help people.
Cooper: I want to go to university to become a secondary school teacher after I graduate next year.
Sunshine College (West campus) — Louise Escarro and Cooper Williams
Why did you want to be school captain?
Louise: When the school captain application notification came out, I decided to just take my chances and put my application forward because opportunities like this are rare, and my main motivation is to just ‘give everything a go’, which was fostered by the people around me, including my teachers. But what really pushed me to pursue the role of school captain was the community and support from my friends. I have heard lots of my friends and peers have comments and suggestions on what they want the school to change or improve on, which made me decide that I wanted to be the link between both teachers and students as well as the staff so that we can improve our school environment.
Cooper: My motivation for becoming School Captain comes from a personal desire to redefine the relationship between the junior and senior year levels at Sunshine College. From my own experience as a junior student at Sunshine College, I found that while the Year 7 and Year 10 Peer Support Program helps build strong connections across the school and supports students as they acclimate into secondary school, there just felt like there wasn’t enough intergrade outreach that extended beyond the classroom. My goal as School Captain is to help bridge this gap and strengthen the pillars of support available to junior students, both for their wellbeing, and academic success. I also hope to offer additional guidance to new senior students as they transition into scoring VCE, which can often be nerve-racking. Having completed an early VCE subject and recently finished all my Unit 1 and 2 subjects, I understand the challenges involved. These years are some of our most formative and memorable, and it is my personal aim to help make that experience even more positive for my peers.
How does it feel to be taking up the role?
Louise: I really did not expect to be chosen as one of the school captains as there were many astonishing and capable leaders who also ran alongside me during the election process, but nevertheless I feel grateful and inspired to do my duties. It’s a lot of responsibility however it is also an opportunity to improve and grow, so my main focus now is to just do my best in the upcoming school year in both academics and leadership.
Cooper: To be honest, it feels quite daunting. Representing the entirety of Sunshine College is a significant commitment, and it will keep both Louise and I on our toes. However, I truly believe that through collaboration and clear communication, this role will be an incredible opportunity. It will allow us to voice the concerns of ourselves and our peers, while also providing us with greater insight into the direction Sunshine College is taking to support its students both now and for the future.
What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
Louise: After high school I plan to go study international relations at university with the initiative to then become a diplomat or to study biology or chemistry to then become a biotechnician.
Cooper: After I graduate, I hope to study a Bachelor of Zoology and Animal Science at Deakin University. I aspire to pursue a career in animal conservation or zoological research, as science and wildlife have always been strong passions of mine. They have motivated me to seek out extra-curricular opportunities, such as developing a strong relationship with the Ecolinc Science and Technology Innovation Centre in Bacchus Marsh through my time volunteering there, as well as finding opportunities to represent the voices of students and their own lived experiences and issues with current school systems in the southeastern and western suburbs of Melbourne through my time as apart of the Ardoch young advisory group(YAG). These experiences, along with many others have transformed my outlook on how much autonomy I truly have on my current and future education journey, and in finding my footing in such a way, I have got to hear the lived experiences of many Victorian students and help advocate for their voices to be heard.
Sunshine College (North campus) — Zi Xuan Wang and Roger Tang
Why did you want to be school captain?
Roger: I wanted to be school captain as this role would not only push my own expectations
and responsibilities as a student, but as well benefit others around me as another
reliable approach to share their own values and opinions across to Sunshine College.
Zi Xuan: Because I hope to represent the students’ voices, help create a positive campus environment, take responsibility and work with others. I also hope to be a role model for the younger students.
Becoming the school captain can truly bring about changes to the school community for me.
How does it feel to be taking up the role?
Roger: It feels shocking and thrilling to have taken this role, as a long time student in
Sunshine College since year 7, I have been given a chance to take part in a once in
a lifetime opportunity.
Zi Xuan: It is meaningful to me. I am honoured to have gained everyone’s trust and also confidence to do this well. I am grateful for the opportunity and ready to embrace new challenges.
What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
Roger: I am looking towards studying marine biology as I was captivated by sea life ever
since I was young; which has led me to having the goal of one day pushing future
conservation efforts into the local marine life due to the ever increasing dangers of
Climate Change.
Zi Xuan: After graduation I hope to develop in the field of education. I am still looking for the direction that suits me best, choosing a path that can bring out my strengths and have a positive impact.
Thomas Carr College — Mary Nguot, Jake Minahan, Daejah Lesekuta and Preet Joshi
Why did you want to be school captain?
Mary: My desire for supporting and uplifting those around me, as well as my inclination to
inspire people through meaningful changes are all what propelled be to apply for this
exemplary position. Above all, I seek to elevate student voice at Thomas Carr College.
Jake: As College Captain, I feel a passion for giving students a voice within the Thomas Carr
community and I feel I can give people the opportunity to share their voice. I’ve been at the
College since Year 7 and I’ve seen those who don’t have the confidence, refrain from putting
forward their ideas and feedback. I believe that if everyone is heard, our community is
brought closer together.
Daejah: I wanted to be a College Captain because I’ve always embraced leadership and
find the need to serve the community by giving a voice to others who would not usually
speak up.
Preet: The drive for me to become College Captain honestly came from the compassion
and interest I have in leading a team and ensuring that new changes occur every year in all
sectors. Another reason was because I wanted to make my parents proud and didn’t want to
miss this one-time opportunity.
How does it feel to be taking up the role?
Mary: Taking up the role feels like a great responsibility and a blessing. It’s an opportunity
to assist others while giving back to the College that made me who I am today. Furthermore,
it’s an honourable yet humbling feeling to represent my school and lead my peers.
Jake: Very exciting and a bit nerve-racking, however I’m extremely grateful and very happy
to be in this position, especially alongside my friends who are also a part of this role.
Daejah: “Taking up the role feels a little bit intimidating, but mostly I’m really excited to
make a change in this school and represent our community.
Preet: I feel very lucky and honoured to have such a prestigious role. Although there are
many responsibilities attached to this role, I can’t wait to work with my Co-Captains to make
next year one of the best years so far!
What do you want to do after you graduate from high school?
Mary: After graduation, I aspire to complete a bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical science
with hopes of furthering my studies to become a successful scientist that specialises in the
development and creation of medicines.
Jake: I want to go to university and study criminology and policing to eventually become a
police officer or work within the police department. I feel an obligation to serve the
community which I have grown up in and make it a better place.
Daejah: After graduating I’m looking to do developmental psychology!
Preet: After graduating high school I want to join the ADFA as a pilot in the RAAF, hopefully flying the Super Hornet and soon soaring through the skies!
