DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS REPORT

Leadership in difficult times

Term 3 is an exciting time for our current Year 12 students as they prepare for their final term of schooling. Term 3 is also an exciting time for our Year 11 students as they prepare to take over as the most senior students at the College in Term 4. Many of our Year 11 students have been preparing for leadership positions by attending interviews and presenting their leadership vision to Mr Humble, Mrs Liakatos and Mrs Bowen and I wish them luck with their proposals.

Our current student leaders join a long list of excellent student leaders who have proudly served the College. In my fourteen years at The Riverina Anglican College I have been amazed at the way our students and staff always elect the best candidates to lead. This year I have had the great honour of working closely with the current leadership team and this has given me valuable firsthand experience of just how hard our student leaders work. Even with the cancellation of many community events our student leaders have worked hard to make a difference in our College and the local community. Given the uncertainty of our times, the current leaders have had many events called off, modified or given provisional go ahead only to find that the event cannot go ahead due to rapid changes in circumstances. To their credit, our student leaders have strengthened their resolve, discussed possibilities with their mentors and teams and devised new initiatives and possibilities. I am truly heartened to think that all this adversity is creating the skills, vision, tenacity and experience needed for them to be even better leaders in the future.

There have been other examples of leadership at the College that I believe are worthy of mention. This year the Principal and the Year 12 Leaders of Wellbeing took the precautionary decision to close the coveted Year 12 Common Room. Year 12 are still able to use their lockers, but they cannot spend extended amounts of time sharing the relatively small Common Room space. So what did they do? They took up Handball on the outdoor basketball court, of course! Now there are epic Handball games at lunchtime and recess where students from Year 12, Year 8 and Year 7 play competitively, respectfully and peacefully. Each group is mindful of the needs of others and respectful of the need to share the space. If that isn’t enough, there is also a highly competitive three on three basketball game where Year 10 boys weave in and out of Handball games without interference or aggression; everyone respecting each other's game and space.

Semester 2 will see our Year 8 students given the chance to become House Prefects for 2021. I thank the current Year 9 Prefects for their dedication and resilience this year and implore them to take the time to reflect on their experience and see how their leadership skills have developed over the last twelve months. 

As our current Year 12 students get ready to complete their Trial HSC Examinations and prepare for graduation it is an important time for them to also reflect on their experiences at our College over the years. Every time they have shown empathy, be kind, loyal, trustworthy, respectful, decisive and resilient they have presented the characteristics of a good leadership. For this they should be justifiably proud.

Ross Kennedy | Acting Director of Students