Sower Student Leadership Conference

Our 2026 Primary School Leaders (both School and Tribal Leaders), headed to Life Ministry Centre in Chirnside Park on Monday 16th Feb for their first official duty as leaders - taking part in the Sower Student Leadership Conference. With the focus on 'Created for Good', our students were encouraged to 'Be yourself, because everyone else is taken' (Oscar Wilde) and to keep choosing courage over fear. The day began by worshipping together with students from 21 other schools, as the sound of 'Praise' echoed throughout the building. Nathan 'Dubsy' Want (Past MECS student, class of '05) encouraged the students in discovering who they are, challenging them to consider the voices they listen to and the narratives they speak over themselves. Cath Tallack spoke about 'Leading from Your Strengths' and students had to identify different ways they think, process and respond to information - this required lots of clapping, standing up and stomping as they recognised strengths within themselves and shared these with the group. Eloise Wellings, a dual Olympian runner, encouraged students to think about how they define success by sharing her story of how disappointment and courage led to a wonderful opportunity to invest in a community in Uganda, and how she had to continually choose hope and perseverance. 

Our Leaders had their hearts and minds filled as they embraced all opportunities on the day, engaging wholeheartedly in each aspect of the conference. We pray that the seeds sown on this day will produce fruit as this group of students invest in our school through their leadership roles this year, and also in their lives beyond. What a privilege to have been part of such an inspiring day!

The SP Team

Student reflections 

This was our first ever leadership conference, and I was so excited. As we arrived at Oxley, everyone was so welcoming - it was the biggest school I’ve ever been to! One highlight for me was the start of Session One when the worship was so nice - we sang ‘Way Maker’ and ‘Praise’. After that, we played a game where we ‘found’ people. It was a chance for us to communicate with some of the other students from 21 different schools that attended that day. The first speaker we had was Jen. She spoke about how God wanted her to start a school, but she had never been a principal before, so it was quite tricky - but she did it! What Jen taught us from this lesson was that you’re created for good. Our first key speaker was Nathan Dubsy Want, the founder of Sower Leadership, he taught us to accept ourselves and not try to be anybody else. In our last session we listened to a dual Olympian who told us about her challenges and how to overcome them.

Joanna SPG

At the Sower Leader’s Conference, we were singing ‘Praise the Lord'. We were all having a great time until the power turned off, but Mr Reading just kept singing, so everybody followed his lead - he inspired everyone! What I mostly enjoyed, was the last speaker who was an Olympian. She was so passionate about her sport that she kept on trying no matter what. She made a poster to put in her room to keep encouraging her. Part of the day was playing games, such as ‘Just Dance’, where we followed the moves of the people on the screen. The Conference taught me that the most important person to influence me is God. 

Jireh SPG

On the 16th of Feb, all of MECS newly selected leaders in Primary went to a leadership conference. It was to help us understand what being a leader means. There were lots of amazing speakers including Nathan Dubsy who talked about that we need to all be ourselves and use the wonderful gifts and talents that God has given us. He gave us a piece of paper that had a list of sentences that said I'm not this and I'm not that and made us circle some of the I’m not sentences then made us scrunch them up and throw them in a big bin. Nathan Dubsy has helped me realize how amazingly and uniquely God has made me.  

Alba SPR