Student Leadership

Our 2023 school leaders were introduced and acknowledged by the school community at the International Women's Day College Assembly.

The guest speaker was Louise Mapleston ia former MGSC student (Class of 2010) and SRC Captain. Louise is a consent, respectful relationships and sexuality educator and the founder of Check + Chat. Her journey to her present role has been varied and inspirational. 

Introducing the 2023 School leaders 

College Captains

Georgie Grubb and Candi Prior

Student Representative Council 

Captain - Grace Righetti  

Student Voice & Advocacy                            

Captain Kayla Petta

STEAM                                                                  

Captain - Ella Bennett

Performing Arts Tech

Captain - Scarlett Wells

Environment & Sustainability

Captain - Ema Raz

Performing Arts 

Captain - Amelia Szabo 

Sports/House

Captain - Lily Shipham

Performing Arts Tech

Captain - Scarlett Wells

Middle School Captains

Matilda Waugh and Madelyn Lust

Junior School Captains

Ruby Sumpter and Abi Brittain

Class Captains

College Captains' Address

Georgie

The guidelines given for the speech I am making today was to share my own leadership journey and experiences thus far. However, I found it difficult to know where to start. Was it in grade 3 when I became a part of my primary school’s SRC team? Not really contributing much, but feeling like the little badge clipped to my t-shirt meant I could change anything in the school. My peers wanted more free-time Fridays? “Leave it with me”.

Or was it grade 6 when I so desperately wanted the role of school captain? Hearing a name announced that was not mine seemed like the worst thing in the world. To me, I thought the words ‘Primary School Captain’ on a resume could be the difference between achieving my dream career or having to rely on my parents for the rest of my life. Yet this ‘setback’ only made me more determined.

A spontaneous shower-thought saw me apply for Middle School Captain in Year 10; then fast forward to today and I can tell you that after three years of leadership at MGSC, my idea of what makes a leader is very different. 

Leadership is being someone who others can look to for guidance; even when you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing yourself.

Leadership is doing what you think is right, even when it’s not the most popular choice.

Leadership is listening to the ideas of the people who look up to you, because they are the people who support you.

Particularly in the past few weeks, I have learnt that as a leader, people will have expectations of you that may be unrealistic. However, it is up to you to decide whether those expectations align with your own values as well as the values of those whom you represent. 

Candi

At the International Womans’ Day breakfast that Georgie and I attended on Friday, we listened to a speech by Dr Angelia Grant who works in macro-economics in the Australian Treasury. She emphasised the importance of staying true to yourself and your values as a woman with an important role in a field dominated by men. This made me reflect on our own values at MGSC. For the past term we have been focusing on inclusivity; a value that links perfectly with the purpose of International Womens’ Day. I hope that by finding your own values and by not underestimating your own abilities, every single student at this school can find a way in the future to be a leader in some form.

IWD is a day we reflect upon what it is to be a woman. What it is to oppose those who stand against us. It is a day to reflect on our past, our present and most important of all our future.

All throughout history women have been fighting for equality, for the right to be ourselves. Only in the last 100 or so years has this started to really change. To think that millions of females fought for their rights but never got to see change, yet their voice, their strength is why we all sit here today. They defied the odds so their future , their blood would be given the chance they never were. Why can’t we do the same?

One of the many big differences today is the representation of women all around the world, in all parts of society. The other day Candi and I along with a few other leaders attended an IWD breakfast at parliament house with multiple girls' schools all over the state. Here we listened to some intellectual and important speakers, such as Georgie Crozier , leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council. She gave an insightful speech into what life was like in parliament and what life was like in leadership. I was proud to learn  that as of now 49% of Victorian parliamentarians are female. What does this mean for us? Well it means that we are being represented. We are getting our voices heard in a fairer way, as it should be. Yet how can we further strengthen this concept?

We, as females, have defied the odds so many times. It starts here. With our education. With our strengthening of our minds, our leadership. Here at MGSC this notion of being myself, not letting the odds deter me has shaped me to be the person I am today. I stand here in front of you as a proud member of MGSC. The opportunities that this school has given me such as a strong vocal presence as well as the chance for equal education have further paved my way to making a better life for myself and for you all.

If you take anything out of what I have said today I want it to be “don’t let the odds defy you, stand out against the rest”. You all are strong, proud students, embrace it , prove to everyone that we can change the world. That’s what IWD is all about.

Candi Prior and Georgie Grub

College Captains