Student Leadership 

2023 STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 

The 2023 Student Leadership Conference was held on Tuesday 28 February. All 104 student leaders attended this important day to bring together student ideas and goals for 2023 in their respective leadership roles. Dromana College was honoured to have Member for Nepean Sam Groth MP as the guest speaker for the Student Leaders. Mr Groth spoke of the importance of leadership within any community to drive authentic change and also explored how he achieved his sporting achievements.  

The day was then focused on developing opportunities for feedback on the college and how it can improve. During period 4 the VCE Student Leaders were lucky enough to have a visit from the Mornington Peninsula Shire Community Engagement team to discuss ways for them as young citizens on the peninsula to have a great voice in local decision making. In addition to these opportunities the Student Leaders were encouraged to meet new people and develop cross year level relationships. I am very proud of their efforts, and I can’t wait to see what they achieve this year as leaders of the student body. 

TERM 1 LEAP CHALLENGE DAY – PARLIAMENTARY CONVENTION

On Wednesday 22 March the year 7,8 and 9 LEAP classes came together for their semester Challenge Day. The day was based around a Parliamentary Convention that was debating a proposed bill to federal parliament. The bill proposed ‘should we lower the voting age to 16’? The students were organised into groups across year levels of approximately 4 students. Each group represented a real electorate who they had to research and understand in order to vote as if they were the real member of parliament representing this seat. 

The students were very lucky to have Councillor Despi O’Connor who represents the Briars Ward speak passionately about the importance of having a youth voice in politics. Despi even returned after a meeting later in the day to visit and witness the student vote on the bill. In addition to Despi O’Connor the students also watched a recorded video from Member for Nepean Sam Groth MP who provided his insights on the topic as well. India Robinson, a former LEAP student now in Year 11, also provided a speech. 

During the day students debated and proposed amended bills until they finally voted successfully in favour of lowering the federal voting age to 16, making it optional for 16 and 17 year old voters and to include residents and not just citizens who had the right to vote.

To finish, students also voted as individuals and they overwhelmingly voted in favour of this bill. Students got to cast their votes using a real Victorian Electoral Commission voting booth and a ballot paper specially made for the day. Overall the LEAP students did an amazing job and showed a genuine interest in understanding their political rights in Australia.

Annabel Wilson & Alex Woolley 

DROMANA STUDENT ON NATIONAL STUDENT VOICE STUDENT COUNCIL

Year 9 Year Level Captain Grace Boehnke has recently been offered a role on the National Student Voice Student Council. This council has four student representatives from each state and territory who promote student voice and discuss issues facing young people. The aim of the council is to advocate for student voice with stakeholders in school education across Australia to better meet the needs to students and their experience at school. Grace is very excited to have this amazing opportunity to represent Victorian students and meet other leaders from around Australia. 

ANNIKA AND ARABELLA LAURIE ATTEND LEGACY’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY IN CANBERRA 

​​My family and I been a part of Legacy for about 6 years. Legacy is a non-for-profit organisation that helps provide financial and social support to families that have lost or been affected by a parent in the Australian Defence Force. Legacy partner with another non-profit organisation ‘Kookaburra Kids’, which support youths aged 8-18 impacted by family mental illness. They frequently invite my sisters and I on camps which some have been at Anglesea, Glenmore (NSW), The Grampians and Lady Northcote, and day excursions which have included the Melbourne Aquarium, petting farms, and the Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq. 

The latest event we attended was a personal invite with other Legacy families to meet The Governor-General of Australia and his wife Mrs Hurley at Government House in Canberra for Legacy’s 100th birthday. We were flown out for one night and celebrated the history of Legacy with many other families that attended. It was an amazing experience and something we will all never forget.

The next event we will be attending is where Arabella will be representing Melbourne Legacy and be a part of the Legacy Anzac Commemoration at the Shrine of Remembrance, she will be a part of the official greeting party for the Governor of Victoria. She will receive the torch from the party and hold it up with Legacy President to mark the commencement of the ceremony. My mother is also an official torch bearer and she will be running her leg in October. Amaya and I will be laying a wreath at the Shrine and there will be a media presence during the event too.

I hope this is a good summary of all the great things Legacy do for my family and myself and show how much they benefit us in all sorts of ways. 

Annika and Arabella Laurie