Captains and Prefects participated in the ABC's Q&A Program
From Director of Student Wellbeing, Matthew Porter
School Leaders on Q&A
On Monday night, College Captains; Harley McGiuiggan, Daniel Andrews, Dominic Augoustis and Jack Hardwicke-Owen and Prefects; Daniel Brown, Jacob Gibson, Patrick Kossenberg and Reece Thorn were selected to attend the Q and A School Leaders special filmed at the ABC studios in Ultimo. This episode aired live on ABC TV at 9:30pm with young leaders from across NSW given the opportunity to discuss issues of importance to them with a panel of their peers and experts in the field, Education and Training Minister Simon Birmingham and Deputy Opposition Leader and Education Shadow Tanya Plibersek.
The issues that our boys brought to the discussion included HSC exam pressure and the relevance of the ATAR in 2017 Australia, cost of living and post-secondary employment options and housing affordability for young Australians, Mental Health in young people and violence against women. Unfortunately none of our questions were selected for discussion by host Tony Jones with our team reduced to the role of spectators.
This was a fantastic opportunity for our boys to experience a live-TV broadcast and to mix and mingle with young, passionate, charismatic leaders from other schools. The episode showcased that the future is indeed bright with the calibre of young people willing to step up and help shape our Nation’s future.
The Archbishop of Sydney Student Leadership Forum
On Tuesday this week the Waverley College Captains participated in The Sydney Archdiocesan Student Leadership Forum at St Mary’s Cathedral. The key themes of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP’s address were to believe in yourself, anticipate challenges and view set backs as a necessary test in developing resilience. He emphasized the importance of Servant Leadership and standing in solidarity with those in the margins; not only globally but also locally; in your school, your family and network of friends. He challenged our leaders to set an example to their fellow students by being courageous, faithful, and committing to the greater good. School Captains and Prefects must lead the way by showing others how to listen to one another and how to disagree respectfully.
Young people are creative and innovative thinkers, free, passionate and determined with their ideas. It is society’s loss, school’s loss and the churches loss if they choose not to listen and not to utilize these attributes to the fullest. The Church and School leaders want to know and need to know your ideas, your thoughts, your hopes and your fears. School and the Church need to walk, work, pray and live beside it’s student leaders and embrace opportunities for positive change.
Together we can build a better Waverley.
Together we can build a better Church.
And together we can build a better world.
