Blacktown high school leaders share their future goals, aspirations

As we go into another school year, the Blacktown’s school leaders are preparing to lead and motivate their fellow students through 2022.

From natural leaders to future sports stars to the educators of tomorrow, the school leaders of western Sydney have shared what makes them a leader and what their futures hold.

Meet the region’s young and upcoming leaders for 2022 below.

St Agnes High School, Rooty Hill

Abhishek Maharaj (Left) & Julia Freeman (Right)

School Captain Julia Freeman

Newly-appointed St Agnes High School captain Julia Freeman has a passion for volunteering, with involvement in a number of initiatives which expand on her social justice skills and desire to help others.

What makes you a good leader?

Integrity, compassion, inclusiveness, diversity, perseverance – these are important values of our St Agnes school community and I always strive to adopt them into my everyday life. I am constantly thinking of new ideas for how to create a safe and inclusive environment for everyone at our school. I always endeavour to think of others and putting their needs ahead of my own. I chose to become a leader because of the guidance I can give others rather than the acknowledgment that I receive for it.

What are your future aspirations?

I hope to become a primary or high school teacher or study social science and psychology. I aspire to work in a field where I can help others achieve their goals, assist them to become better individuals as well as leaders for their future.

School Captain Abhishek Maharaj

What makes you a good leader?

I pride myself on my ability to talk to, listen and understand my fellow students regardless of their age or background.

St Andrews College, Marayong

Hayley O'Connor (Left) & Wasim Farah (Right)

School Captain Hayley O‘Connor

The new school captain of St Andrews College, Hayley O’Connor, said she was a strong believer in harnessing the opportunities made available at her Marayong high school to become a well-rounded individual with a multidisciplinary skillet.

“I love all aspects of school, especially the extra-curricular opportunities,” she said. “It’s an environment where I’m best able to grow as a human being and develop my skills in all areas. “School is the only period in life where I’m able to enjoy all these activities at once, so to capitalise on the many options available, they range from debating and public speaking to sporting teams such as netball, basketball, touch and oztag as well as social justice groups such as YCS and Vinnies.”

What makes you a good leader?

I have been afforded considerable educational and leadership opportunities throughout my time at high school. I have been elected to the Student Representative Council from the years 2017-2021 and have been honoured with the title of school captain/college captain in 2020/2022. Growing up, I was frequently drawn to leadership opportunities in school, sporting or employment contexts. I believe leading is an imperative life skill that I personally aspire to constantly improve upon. This innate determination to develop myself as a leader and as an overall human being pushes me to be the best leader I can be.

Leading by example is at the crux of what it means to be a good leader. As college captain, I strive to emulate an ideal student. My passion for learning and dedication to my studies allows me to lead others in the direction of working hard at school. Being a good leader goes beyond leading by example, but by genuinely and passionately believing in what it is you’re leading. As a college captain, I am entirely invested in ensuring those around me love the school as much as I do. Leaders must be confident with their passion because if you, the person people are meant to look up to, are not doing what you desire others to do, then you simply are not leading. As college captain, I proudly present on assembly and tell my school how much I love our college. In the playground I remind my peers how amazing our school is. When anybody asks me about St Andrew‘s Marayong, I can’t help but exert positivity about my school.

The objective of a leader is to ensure everybody progresses, not just the leader. Often, I’ve found that the most effective leadership is when I’m leading from behind, ensuring everybody is progressing forward. My greatest leadership skill is my ability to identify the people at the back who perhaps don’t enjoy school as much as others or might struggle with learning. Rather than leaving them behind, I walk with them to the front, ensuring we progress as a college as opposed to only a few individuals getting ahead.

What are your future aspirations?

After school, I aspire to pursue university and continue working. This pathway has been informed by the opportunity to complete university units alongside my Year 11/12 studies. My school selected me to study at Macquarie University through the Gifted and Talented Students program and at ACU through the Step Up into Teaching program. Having parents who are both teachers and being surrounded by inspiring educators everyday, I have decided to pursue teaching. As a student, I believe the most influential and meaningful work is occurring in the classroom. If I, as a teacher, could inspire one student the way I have been inspired by my teachers, it will be enough for me. As a teacher, I will be able to contribute to the vital shaping of our society’s future by fostering a safe learning environment while simultaneously challenging my students to be the critical thinkers our world desperately needs.

School Captain Wasim Farah

For Wasim Farah, his interest in justice and engineering positive change at St Andrew’s College has seen him perfectly placed to lead as school captain. “I began my high school journey at St Andrews where I was inspired by the life of the apostle Saint Andrew and his strong sense of servant leadership,” he said. “Currently, as a member of the college’s social justice committee Young Christian Students, we aim to reconstruct a sense of connectedness within the college that was dispirited during the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and to take action and nurture positive change on a mesoscale in hopes of inspiring macro-change.”

What makes you a good leader?

I think what makes me a good leader is my passion for establishing meaningful connections with my peers as well as my approachability and transparency. Growing up with strong influences in my life, who have ultimately cultivated my strong sense for leadership, I admire the notion of leading by example in order to promote our college’s ethos and to nurture a shared vision throughout the college. My grandfather always reiterated the importance of servant leadership and that good leadership begins with respect. It is with this quintessence I endeavour to lead and to inspire. Additionally, I believe that my strong sense of self-awareness and flexibility allows me to effectively lead and positively influence the community.

What are your future aspirations?

Growing up in Australia, my family and I have always recognised the manifold of opportunities this nation has bestowed upon us. My assiduity toward Australian politics, international relations and human rights have fuelled my enthusiasm to pursue a career in law and politics. I want to ensure that every Australian has an opportunity to a ‘fair go’ just as my family and I did. Somehow, I wish to extend this on a global level. My recent involvement as a young diplomat for the United Nations has allowed me to form various perspectives regarding human rights and the complexities of diplomacy and further invigorates my passion to someday enter this field.

St Clare’s Catholic High School, Hassall Grove

Jade Milag (Left) & Kazvaana Piho (Right)

School Captain Jade Milag

Calling Australia home for the past four years, St Clare’s Catholic High School captain Jade Milag was originally born and raised in the Philippines, speaking Tagalog. The student leader said being at St Clare’s has taught her to grab opportunities when they present.

“Growing up, I have always been the person that my friends leaned on for help and advice for their problems,” she said. “I’ve always loved helping and supporting people, no matter who they are or how much we know each other. Additionally, art and music keeps my days light and bright, as well as having God, my family, and friends right next to me.”

What makes you a good leader?

I believe bringing joy and positivity towards other people has an impact on you. Hence, being a good leader is really all about being optimistic and encouraging other people, whether it be a friend or a stranger. This manifests in the creation of a great environment, as you surround yourself and everyone else with love and happiness. To become a good leader, you need to have a strong sense of understanding and acceptance. This helps you to have a more open mind and to respect those who have a different perspective.

What are your future aspirations?

I am blessed to have a variety of possible options for my future. I aspire to teach younger generations about important topics such as mental health issues, to provide awareness for their own future.

School Captain Kazvaana Piho

Born in New Zealand with Cook Island heritage, St Clare’s Catholic High School captain Kazvaana Piho is a student leader at the Hassall Grove school. Passionate about the creative arts, Kazvaana is a dancer who has competed in competitions such as ‘Bring It On’ and been a part of dance crews and dance schools outside of school.

What makes you a good leader?

I’ve always been inspired by Gospel values and I try to live these out in my life. Leadership to me is not about the position, it is about how you act and how you relate to people. More so, I’ve never been embarrassed by struggling with life‘s challenges. I enjoy finding a way through things whether it is on my own or with the help of people around me. I have appreciated my experience as a leader and the responsibilities it has brought.

What are your future aspirations?

I grew up loving dance because of my brother and father who were once passionate about this form of art. I entered into talent quests with friends for fun which turned into me enrolling into a dance school. In high school, I auditioned for a dance crew, choreographed for a musical as well as the ‘Bring it On’ team.

What I find beautiful about dance is it has allowed me to communicate my emotions through moves. I love storytelling. It’s my escape. With acting, I was drawn by the emotions characters bring out on screen. I’ve always been someone to put myself into the other person‘s shoes to try to find an understanding of who they are and what they do. It’s a masterpiece when you watch a film or a dance piece be built from the ground up.

St John Paul II Catholic College, Schofields and Nirimba

Jayden Kemp (Left) & Juliana Murace (Right)

School captain Jayden Kemp

The student leader of St John Paul II Catholic College has a passion for service and love for the community, seeing the teenager take any opportunity to lead with confidence and pride.

What makes you a good leader?

As a leader, I ultimately want to be able to give back to the school for everything that it has given me. I also want to spread this idea of ‘giving back’ to the wider community, through initiatives such as Vinnies Van. Being a college leader has taught me the importance of maintaining integrity, compassion and confidence, as well as the importance of leading by example, in order to make the school a fairer, safer, kinder and overall better place.

What are your future aspirations?

At St John Paul II, I have had so many amazing opportunities to not only take part in school activities and represent the school, but to also act as a voice for student needs. I’m passionate about being actively involved in change around the school and when I graduate, I want to continue serving the community and hope to find a role that will allow me to continue making a difference in people’s lives. The idea of one day running for a representative role sounds appealing to me as it would allow me to make a tangible difference in improving the lives of many.

Juliana Murace

St John Paul II Catholic College school captain and sports lover Juliana Murace said she loves the chance to play team sports and express her leadership skills, teamwork and have fun.

“Having a strong family culture, I constantly strive to be selfless, kind and compassionate to all people,” she said. “My strong will and passion for helping others has been reflected during my time volunteering in Vinnies Van – helping those who are vulnerable.”

What makes you a good leader?

As a leader, I am passionate and driven in making a difference in my school community and being a voice for all my peers. Always lending a helping hand, recognising the value in small things and motivating others to reach their full potential is a goal of mine and something I would greatly love to leave behind at the college. The Covid-19 lockdowns and periods of online schooling made me realise that maintaining connections and relationships between peers is important to keep motivated and achieve our best.

What are your future aspirations?

As a part of my leadership experience and my future aspirations I will strive to collectively motivate and unify not only our cohort but the entirety of the school, becoming a role model that upholds our school’s Catholic values. Alongside the staff and teachers, I aim to inspire my fellow peers to achieve the best of their abilities in the classroom but also after we graduate at the end of 2022. I hope to go to university after school.