Prefects
The month of November was a very exciting time for Epping Boys, with Movember running throughout the whole month. Numerous initiatives and fundraisers were happening as part of a big movement in raising awareness for men’s mental health, centred around our moustaches (real or fake!). Mancakes every Friday morning headlined the month, bringing in lots of boys to share a couple of pancakes and have a good chat. Adding to the Friday programme were the weekly “Mo or Mullet” fundraisers, where students donate weekly in order for a teacher to either grow out their Mo or sport a new Mullet. Mr Ko, Mr Bondfield, and Mr Thomas all fell victim to the initiative, rocking stylish new Mo’s and Mullets through the month.
Movember had its grand finale on Friday week 7, with a house-colour mufti day and a full roster of fun and exciting activities. Starting off was the renowned Moscars Awards, where students and teachers desperately pleaded for the rest of the school to cheer them on in celebrating their Mo’s. After this were the award-winners for the Mo Art Competition and a special congratulations to Darren from Year 10, who was the top donor throughout the month. The day wrapped up with a lunchtime sausage sizzle with the very popular Spiders from the SRC to unwind and take the opportunity to have a chat with mates.
The Movember initiative was more than just moustaches and mullets, and this message was made to the students. The real focus of the month was to raise awareness on men’s mental health and prostate and testicular cancer by inviting students to take a moment to ask their mates a simple question of, “how are you doing?” By checking in on each other, the boys can have a safe space to express any mental health concerns and speak up, rather than bottling up all their emotions and troubles. The month also opened avenues to celebrate the wellbeing staff at our school. Ms Sweeney, Mr Gordon, Mr Percy, Andreas, Ms Hoy and Ms Williams-Thompson are always open to have a chat and can be found in the WELL.
Overall, Movember was a massive success - not just getting students excited about Mancakes or the weekly Mo or Mullet candidates, but to start conversations about men’s mental health. All the donations from the month went straight to the Movember Foundation, who have been organising this annual event for years and has been engrained into Epping Boys culture for hopefully many years to come. Thanks to all the boys for a very successful month!
Additionally, on the 24 and 25 of November, the Prefects stood proudly at assembly wearing white ribbons, symbolising their commitment to respect, safety and accountability to recognise White Ribbon Day, a national day dedicated to ending violence against women and promoting equality for all women and girls. This year’s events were some of the most meaningful our school has ever hosted, shaped by the shared commitment of hundreds of boys who chose to take a stand.
During Monday’s assembly, students heard a confronting but necessary message about the reality of domestic and sexual violence in Australia. One in three women experience physical violence after the age of fifteen. One in five experience sexual violence. One in two experience sexual harassment. These are not distant statistics. They reflect the lived experiences of women who know, women we care about, women whose well-being depends on boys and men choosing a different path.
Back at Epping, students had the opportunity to take the White Ribbon pledge during recess on both the 24 and 25 of November. Hundreds of boys stepped forward to sign their names alongside the oath that guides this movement:
“I swear to never commit, excuse, or remain silent about violence against women. I will stand up, speak out and act to prevent men’s violence against women.”
These signings were not symbolic gestures; they were personal commitments to the women in our lives. They were reminders that if we fail to counter the attitudes and behaviours that perpetuate violence, we risk supporting the very harm we claim to reject.
Our Captain, Riley Pengilly, carried this message beyond our school when he visited Riverside High School, just as their Prefects joined us at Epping on the 24th of November, by taking the White Ribbon pledge on behalf of Epping Boys. He spoke openly about how not all men commit violence, it is almost always committed by men, and reminded us that even if we are not part of the problem, we must choose to be part of the solution. This reinforced the notion that real change begins with the choices we make every day. To continue spreading awareness, the Prefects' Instagram page released a series of White Ribbon Day videos featuring the Prefects speaking about the importance of the day and the responsibility we carry as a boys' school. These messages encouraged students to reflect on how violence against women is perpetuated, how silence fuels harm and how each of us contributes to a culture of respect.
Finally, as we approach the end of the school year, the prefects would like to thank all the students for a brilliant start to our tenure, and a very strong way to end the term. We hope to continue this level of 'getting keen and getting around it' into the new year, and we wish you all a safe and enjoyable summer break. And one more thing - make sure to keep your hair unshaved to prepare for something truly great coming up to kickstart 2026.
Jagrit and Kaishin, 2026 Prefects
Christmas Hampers- Thank you!
