Leading the way: Greater Shepparton Secondary College captains Skyler Norton, Bethany Gray, Ella-Rei Dunlop, Dante Sinclair-Dealy, Rowan Farren and Olivia Judd are ready to represent their school and its students for 2022.
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Greater Shepparton Secondary College
The future is looking bright for students of Greater Shepparton Secondary College as their new student leaders pave the way for student leadership at the school.
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On Friday, March 4, the school held its first investiture assembly to welcome and introduce the new student leaders to the community.
This investiture saw the introduction of several new roles and leadership groups, each designed to cater to the large and diverse number of students at the college.
The school is divided into three neighbourhoods — Biyala, Dharnya and Bayuna — and is represented by two college captains per neighbourhood, with six college captains in total.
These neighbourhoods have 800 students who are divided up into three houses per neighbourhood with a house captain and vice-captain in each.
The school also welcomed new leaders into the environmental, music and multicultural groups, who each represent a different culture that makes up the diversity of the school.
School executive principal Barbara O’Brien said the aim of the large leadership team was to ensure students had a voice and every child was catered to.
“One of the things that people were really worried about, was their child will be lost and they wouldn't know who to go to,’’ she said.
‘’But because of our home group system in our house system, every child has a teacher they know well, and they meet with that teacher at the start of every day.
“It's their school and they need to have a voice.
‘’The most important thing is that we want our students to know that they can go to their college captains and discuss anything that they feel they want to raise with the school’s leadership.”
Ready for action: House captains and vice-captains with City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Kim O’Keeffe.
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Greater Shepparton Secondary College
Nadia Niyubushobozi is the multicultural leader for the African community and said she was honoured to be chosen to represent her people.
“It means a lot to me because coming to Australia in 2019, I never knew that somebody would represent us and I’m very happy to take this role,’’ she said.
“I’m ready to represent others whose voices I’ve never heard and I’m ready to hear the quiet voices and the loud ones.
“We just want to be positive role models and represent our school inside and out positively.”
Dharnya captain Dante Sinclair-Dealy feels the same way, saying as a leader, it’s important they make everyone feel welcome.
“I’m hoping to make sure that this year’s the best for everyone because everyone’s nervous about being here,” he said.
“It’s a brand new school, even for Year 7s with their first time in high school and being in a massive school like this.
“I just want to make it a welcoming year that’s fun and enjoyable.
“I think our four college rules represent a good leader for us as well, with our aspiration, integrity, respect and responsibility.
“I think they show us what our leadership should be like.”
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