GSSC leaders a voice for younger students

Millie Lundberg

Millie is a natural leader, who was ready to accept the challenge of a school captain.

“I like being in charge, in a non-controlling way,” she said.

“I like getting information, and I like being able to tell everyone, and I like being a voice for younger students, especially queer kids.”

Millie wants students to feel like she’s someone they can trust.

“I want people to be able to trust me and go ‘Oh, that’s Millie, I’ll go talk to her about this problem I’m having’,” she said.

“I want to be approachable.”

For her final year, Millie is studying English, psychology, food studies, textiles and legal studies, and next year is thinking of studying teaching at La Trobe in Shepparton, close to home.

Outside school, you’ll find Millie on the court, where she coaches, referees and plays basketball.

Samantha Inong

Samantha knew this was her final chance in high school to go for a leadership position, so she knew she couldn’t pass it up.

“I thought (since) this is my last year, why not just try out for it?” she said.

“I want to make the school a better place.”

Samantha’s focus is on helping out the youngest members of the GSSC community.

“I want to make the school more inclusive, and especially be a voice for the Year 7 students because they don’t really have that much power to say anything because they are in Year 7,” she said.

Samantha is studying English, maths methods, psychology, chemistry and PE, and plans to make the move to Melbourne to study biomedicine at Monash University.

When not in classes or studying, Samantha says you’ll probably find her sleeping.

Dharnya Neighbourhood

Chloe Hogg

Becoming a school captain for Chloe is a way for her to make sure every voice is heard.

“I want to make sure people’s ideas were heard,” she said.

“I wanted to help make the school a more welcoming environment and make the students feel like they can say anything to me and talk to me.

“I want them to feel like they matter here.”

Inclusivity is at the forefront for Chloe, and making sure the students know that the captains are just like them.

“I want to make sure that everyone gets a say and even though we have the title as school captains, we’re not above them, and they can have just as much say in the school as we do.”

For her Year 12, Chloe is studying English literature, general maths, psychology, sociology and health and human development, and plans to study journalism next year in Melbourne.

Outside classes, Chloe likes to hang out with friends, to keep a study and life balance.

Billy Kop

Billy felt like as a leader, he could be a voice to younger students.

“I enjoy representing the school, and I want to spread positivity around the school,” he said.

“I want to make sure the younger students know where to go and to give them a place to be, and to comfort them through their development through the school.”

For his neighbourhood and the school, Billy wants to help guide all the students.

“I want to show that anything’s possible, even if you have a really busy schedule, to achieve things that people don’t think is possible, especially from a public school in Shepparton,” he said.

For his Year 12, he’s studying general maths, English, PE, psychology and biology, and fast-tracked environmental science in Year 11.

After graduation, Billy plans to take a gap year and travel overseas to visit family.

Outside school, Billy plays soccer and the trumpet.

Bayuna Neighbourhood

Ananiya Dieudonne

Ananiya has always wanted to be a school leader.

“I wanted to become school captain because in Year 6, I kind of fell short to be a captain and that made me want to improve next time,” he said.

“When the opportunity came up, I really wanted to go for it.

“I wanted to be the face of the school, showing the school values, and also be an advocate for mental health.”

As a Bayuna Neighbourhood captain, Ananiya would like to be the friendly face you see in the hall.

“I want to be approachable, I want to be able to help students that need help,” he said.

“I want to also be someone students could come up to ask a question and I can move it into higher leadership, instead of them being too scared to approach me with their ideas and what they think could improve.”

This year, Ananiya is studying foundation maths, PE, English, food studies and is pursuing a Certiciate IV in hospitality, and plans to take a working gap year after high school, before looking into pathways to go into physiotherapy.

In his spare time, you can find him on the soccer field.

Tylah O’Brien

Tylah likes being in charge, and wanted to be part of something big in the school.

“I love the school and I love the kids here, and I want them to feel included in the school,” she said.

“I want them to feel like they have a choice.”

As a school captain, Tylah wants to leave her mark on GSSC.

“I want to make everyone feel included,” she said.

“I want to be remembered, and to be that one captain that everyone goes ‘I want to be like her’.

“I want everyone to be like, ‘Oh, I remember her from Year 8, she was such a good leader’.

“I want to be a role model.”

For her Year 12, Tylah is studying English literature, psychology, sociology and Italian, and next year hopes to study journalism at Swinburne or Monash University.

Outside class, Tylah enjoys hanging out with friends and working.