Wellbeing - Senior School

2027 Student Leadership Workshop

On 11-12 October, the 2027 Student Leadership Team spent two days at the Edmund Rice Retreat Centre, Mulgoa, led by Mrs Santiago and accompanied by Mrs Cesarano and Dr Lavorato. We were entrusted with shaping the College theme for 2027, centred around the touchstone of Justice and Solidarity.

The weekend began with a challenge that looked simple. All 22 of us had to keep a foot on brown paper bags as they were steadily taken away. When the space grew too small to share, we tore the bags into pieces so that no one was left out, teaching us a powerful lesson in solidarity: a team succeeds by changing its approach rather than leaving someone behind. A communication task followed, in which one student described a hidden image for the rest of his group to draw. It revealed to us that leadership depends as much on listening as it does on speaking.

We were privileged to have a Q&A session with our Principal, Dr Lavorato, who spoke candidly about leadership and public speaking. She explained that true leadership lies in showing up consistently for others, and that the value of any role is only ever as strong as the integrity of the person who holds it. She reminded us that people may forget what you say, but they always remember how you make them feel.

The first evening was devoted to developing the 2027 College theme. In small groups, we searched Scripture for passages that captured Justice and Solidarity, before each student presented his case to the team. Every passage was tested: where it worked, where it fell short, and whether it could honour our Edmund Rice tradition while resonating with students from Years 5 to 12.

The debate that followed was worthy of 12 Angry Men. Passages were defended, challenged and reconsidered until a 12-10 split between the final two options sent us back to examine the context behind each. The turning point came when some students explained the history of one particular passage. It was first spoken to a society that celebrated its prosperity while ignoring the poor. Justice, they argued, cannot be practised only when it suits us. With eyes closed and hands raised, we voted once more: 22-0. Finally, a unanimous consensus was reached.

We closed with a liturgy the following morning, but the weekend's truest outcome was the team itself. We arrived as 22 individuals and left as a united leadership team. We were united not because we always agreed, but because we had learned to disagree respectfully. The paper bag challenge said it best: solidarity is not something we can preach to a College. It must first be lived among ourselves by making room for every voice and ensuring no one is left standing on the outside. That is the leadership we are committed to offering in 2027.

Sebastian A and Luca S

2027 College Vice Captains