Meet your Year 12 school leaders and Tasmania’s future leaders and read their messages of hope
After a turbulent year in 2020, we searched for answers to some of the biggest issues facing young people. Here’s what our next generation of leaders will do to tackle the challenges in society >>
Tasmania
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SCHOOL captains, prefects, student council representatives – any way you label it, young leaders from all over Tasmania are taking 2021 by storm and seizing the chance to create change.
The Mercury has asked student leaders to describe some of the biggest challenges facing young people today and how they as a leader hope to overcome them.
New Town High School head prefect Bryce Kelly and deputy head prefect Jackson Donaghy have already embraced their relatively new leadership roles.
“We’re starting a diversity group at New Town and that’s come along really nicely,” Jackson said.
“I’m focusing on social etiquette, making sure everyone feels equal in our school and making sure everyone is feeling comfortable. Less of being a bystander and more of being a doer.”
Bryce said he was most enthusiastic to adopt an environmental focus.
“It will affect us and our children – I would love to help change the environment,” he said.
“Challenges we face are unique from the past. I’m looking forward to seeing the change happen and working through what we can do to make things better, and learning from our mistakes.”
Actingprincipal Ben Wilson said the student leaders had been focusing on themes of inclusion and respect.
“We see people discriminated against based on gender, race and a whole lot of different things," Mr Wilson said.
“The students talked about how they noticed online people are quick to write things that are highly opinionated – we were reflecting on how it would be nice if people went back to a world where they respected each other.”
Mr Wilson said the students had a sphere of influence within the school and community.
“They’re talking about being the change they want to see and doing that by having high expectations of other people and modelling that for others to see and follow,” he said.
Bryce and Jackson both hoped to continue into leadership roles beyond the schoolyard.
“I don’t want to after a certain age just stop leading,” Jackson said.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are, it really is just how you look at life and what you can do for anyone.”
Read more from our next generation of leaders below.
WYNYARD HIGH SCHOOL
Student Executive Council president Mischa Linden has named climate change and COVID-19 as challenges for her generation.
“A lot of what we are hearing is negativity about the impacts everything will have on our future, and how we will have so many things to deal with in our lifetime,” she said.
“However this has been true for every generation, so I hope to help others turn their minds to the positive so we can work together, supporting each other to mitigate and adapt to these two major problems.”
Vice president Jade Snook hoped to fight harmful stereotypes and hypocrisy within the schoolyard.
“I hope finding, sharing and discussing stories from all backgrounds around the world can be the start to a more accepting and forward-thinking school and community,” she said.
KINGSTON HIGH SCHOOL
Identity issues, self belief and feeling comfortable and happy with yourself have been listed as top priorities for senior leaders Eve Lever and Clare Moore.
“In the teen years it’s really hard to feel comfortable in your own body as you’re still growing, still learning and finding new things out,” Eve said.
“Through being a senior leader I’ll do my part by just spreading awareness that this is completely normal, people get lost sometimes and that it’s fine just to do what makes you happy.”
Clare said “my hope is that through my words and actions I will inspire others to be true to themselves and therefore live a happy and fulfilling future”.
ELIZABETH COLLEGE
The three leaders Jane Wong, Josh Glover and Caitlin Ross each felt challenges like COVID-19, the climate crisis and the increasingly competitive job market were battles for young leaders to overcome.
“I aim to do my part in helping my generation overcome (climate change) by working
with and leading other young people to organise protests to make sure that the
people in power can no longer ignore this crisis or the voices of the youth that will
be most impacted by it,” Caitlin said.
Josh hoped to help support his peers and offer them a “confidence boost” to complete study in the world of COVID-19.
Jane recognised fear for the future as a huge challenge for young leaders.
“The increasingly competitive job market, climate change, the injustice towards people around the world, racial tensions and the health of safety of not only us but also our family and friends are just some of the uncertainties unravelling in this chaotic society today,” she said.
“Overcoming these challenges begins with reflecting on our attitudes and values
and being conscious of how we hold ourselves accountable for our actions.”
BURNIE HIGH SCHOOL
Student Representative Council co-presidents Olivia Saward and Jai Mollison have shared their unique takes on what’s most important to them as leaders.
Olivia was most concerned the challenge for young people to become ethical people.
“It can be hard to stand with integrity and selflessness when we witness corruption within leaders,” she said.
“Creating connections within the community for youth and adults to learn from each other will create a more understanding, problem-solving society.”
Jai said threats of climate change and terrorism often left children in states of anxiousness and depression.
He hoped as a leader to make sure his and other young peoples’ voices were heard, adding “it’s our success that will shape the new world”.
DON COLLEGE
Student leader Zoe Chipman has said the challenges young people faced ranged from forgetting their schoolbooks to choosing between work and school.
“There is pressure on young people to have the perfect plan, often receiving negativity when it differs from the expected,” she said.
“We don’t know where we will be in ten years’ time, especially in the context of a global pandemic – we have lost many opportunities, and this has impacted our goals and means of achieving them.
“I plan to overcome this by participating in awareness-raising articles like this, and by uniting young people in schools, workplaces and communities to provide support from those in similar situations.”
KINGS MEADOWS HIGH SCHOOL
A major challenge head prefect Jasmine Jones has wanted to tackle was getting adults and authority figures to pay attention to young peoples’ voices.
“Whether it’s about a big global issue such as climate change or a personal struggle with mental health, a lot of young people are often dismissed, brushed off, or afraid to speak up at all and as leaders and future leaders it’s our responsibility to help uplift these voices and empower people to use them and to listen,” she said.
Fellow head prefect Tom Hawkins looked forward to motivating others, and himself, to embrace challenges and opportunities despite doubts and fears.
“I’m aiming to be a big influence for people to take those opportunities or do those things they were once scared to, and I’ll try to do it myself.”
CLAREMONT COLLEGE
Jack Rainbird and Tahlia Zabel have embraced their roles as student leaders in different ways, with Jack’s main focus being to help students achieve a work-life balance through study groups and support networks and Tahlia interested in developing resilience and overall wellbeing by promoting fitness, sport and recreation activities.
BAYVIEW SECONDARY COLLEGE
Prefects Lilly Jakab and Connor Flakemore cared most about the mental wellbeing of their peers.
“After conducting a school wide survey made by our student representative council, we found that the main challenge that was holding people back from achieving their goals was their mental health,” Lilly said.
Connor added it was important to “become more aware of what people may be going through” and “help them realise they are not alone”.
Lilly looked forward to co-designing wellbeing initiatives through 2021.
ULVERSTONE SECONDARY COLLEGE
This school’s Student Representative Council presidents have highlighted why they want to support their student community against bullying and mental health challenges.
Charlotte Vernham and Isaac Close shared a collective statement on how those issues could impact self-esteem and pressure students to try to fit in with peers at the risk of losing their sense of identity.
“Harmony Week and Wellbeing Week are two events the SRC organise to provide opportunities for students to express themselves and learn about current issues that are important to them. 2021 also sees the formation of the USC Pride Group.”
HOBART COLLEGE
Maddie Horton from the Hobart College student leadership group said affordable housing and the threat of climate catastrophe were prominent challenges for young leaders.
“It is important to recognise that the solutions to climate change are out there, discovered and tested by scientific communities worldwide, published in a multitude of studies, research papers and critical analyses as the result of rigorous field work,” she said.
“As a leader, I want to inspire my peers and others in my generation to speak out about the lack of action around climate change, and convince governments through nonviolent direct action that our voices matter, and that our planet is worth saving.”
ROSNY COLLEGE
International student mentor Alexander Hatton and learning and student support leader Bisrat Dessie Assefa focused their efforts on tolerance and empathy for other cultures, as well as overcoming barriers to education for certain students.
Bisrat said her volunteer group Students for Empathy, Leaning and Friendship dealt with stress, anxiety and other mental health concerns.
“I am excited to begin helping people in our college more, especially as this program gets into full swing next term,” she said.
“We all need to expand our social awareness and help build a society based on care.”
Alexander felt “proud” to work with students from across the world.
“Facing diversity with openness is one of the most important and powerful acts we can take in developing a stronger global community,” he said.
CLARENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Head prefects Mary Bowering and Flynn Marshalls said today more than ever, youths faced unprecedented expectations and “pressure”.
“It can take a variety of forms,” Mary said.
“There are social pressures to belong somewhere and feel apart of a group, academic pressure to reach a particular level or mark, as well as body image pressures and expectations for the future.”
The pair said their leadership role involved promoting positive coping strategies.
“As a leader, making sure students set achievable goals, being open to a conversation and creating a positive, enjoyable environment are all crucial assets,” Flynn said.
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