Year 9 News

Happy End of Term and Easter for those who celebrate the occasion or just enjoy the chocolate thrill. The Year 9's have well and truly settled in to being Year 9's and continue to thrive as a team. Mr Scott (Year 8) and I attended the State Youth Leadership Conference in Melbourne recently with our current bunch of Year 9 leaders which was wonderful. The students were all so enthusiastic and appreciative of attending the day. Thank you to Mr Healey for organising the day for us. I will leave it up to a student to give her run-down on the day. 

On behalf of the Year 9 Student Management team, thank you for your support and efforts as parents this term. May you all have a restful, joyous and peaceful Easter break.

Student Managers:

Ms Nettleship, Mr Malpelli, Ms Callegaro and Ms Anderson

A Day at the Melbourne State Youth Leadership Conference 

by Yoyo W

The day started with anticipation and excitement as a select part of the year 9 leadership team met at the station to go into the city. It was an early morning, but even the cold couldn’t extinguish the passion that we all had as a group of 20. Once we got to the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, we quickly found a place to sit down in the presenting auditorium. The conference started with some fun questions in a trivia to liven up the mood. I had the chance to meet some amazing new people my age from other schools, during the connections cards session, where we shared answers to a set of thought-provoking questions. It was a great way to break the ice and get to know others who were there for the same purpose: to grow as leaders.

The opening session was led by Liam O and Bonnie RR. They introduced us to two powerful leadership strategies: the GOT strategy (Growing, Opening, and Trusting) and the Triple A strategy (Accept, Acknowledge, Ask). The GOT strategy was about how leaders can constantly evolve by growing, being open to new ideas and experiences, and building trust with others. The Triple A strategy, on the other hand, was incredibly practical and relevant, especially when it comes to facing challenges as a leader. It taught us to accept situations as they are, acknowledge that we’ve overcome similar challenges before, and ask what steps we need to take in the moment. It was a great reminder that leadership isn’t just about having a title or role; it’s about the mindset you bring and the actions you take. They also emphasized something that really stood out to me: having a badge doesn’t define your worth as a leader. What matters most is how you lead yourself and others.

Then came our first speaker, Fiona Sanford, former CEO of the Flourish Journey, was both inspiring and thought-provoking. She spoke about taking a leap of faith and how leadership is about service to others at its core. Fiona also encouraged us to reflect on our personal values and how they can guide us in our leadership journeys. It really made me think about what I stand for as a leader and how I can align my actions with those values. She also spoke about having a leadership checklist. Some of the questions that the leadership checklist included was that we remind ourselves of the difference between what we can control, verses what we can’t. This was a really practical session as a leader, because we need to keep in mind that we can make mistakes and there are somethings that we can not control.

During the first break, the atmosphere lightened as the staff brought out speakers and everyone joined in a spontaneous song and dance. This activity was very popular amongst all the students as we sang and danced in the main hall.

The second speaker session featured two young women who led us through an interview-style discussion. One of the speakers, Emma, shared her personal challenges with leadership, and the powerful message that "nothing changes if nothing changes" really stuck with me. Emma challenged us to think about an issue within our schools, and my group chose "fear of judgment." We brainstormed some potential solutions, which felt empowering. It was incredible how such a simple exercise helped us realize that we, even as young leaders, have the power to bring about change in our own communities, no matter how big or small.

Liam O'Connell returned later to give us some tips for facing public speaking fears. One piece of advice that resonated with me was that if you forget your words during a speech, don’t panic—remember, the audience doesn’t know your script. 

After a busy morning filled with insightful sessions, we took a break for lunch and headed to the DFO which was right by the Exhibition Centre. It was a great chance to relax, buy some food, and recharge.

The final speaker of the day, Noah Yang, spoke about his ongoing project to help people who are struggling, particularly in the context of overcoming obstacles and "crossing the chasm." One of his key messages that he delivered was the fact that your comfort bubble doesn’t break; it only grows. The part of session where he talked about growing one’s comfort bubble was really true. I myself get really anxious at times and with message he reminded that it was important to take a leap of faith sometimes.

The day ended on a high note with the song Unwritten, a catchy yet meaningful song that tells us that we can write our own journey. It felt like a good and symbolic way to close the conference, encouraging us to take ownership of our leadership paths and embrace the future with confidence.

On the way back, I had the chance to talk to some of my friends who were also leaders about their takeaways from the conference. One person shared that the day was incredibly engaging and filled with knowledge that she could apply to her own leadership journey. Another person mentioned that a key takeaway for them was the idea that you need to have confidence in yourself and your abilities before you can help others. Lastly, one peer said something that really resonated with me: “Your authentic self can change often, and that doesn’t mean you’re any less of a leader.” It was a great reminder that leadership is about growth, authenticity, and embracing change.

Overall, the Melbourne State Youth Leadership Conference was an unforgettable experience. I really enjoyed all of the inspiring words and the fun activities, as well as learning new skills that can help me become a better leader at VSC.