"Oh, Captain, my Captain" 

Making the Most of 2021

By Lexie Wooller & Harrison Matsamakis, School Captains, Year 12, The Ridgeway Campus

Congratulations on making it through Term 1 - it’s quite scary to reflect on how quickly it all flies by! We thank you for taking the time to read this edition of The Ivy Voice :) Coming off the back of 2020, which was such a challenging and unpredictable year, it has been fantastic to get back into a routine and spend time with peers and teachers on campus. Harry and I would like to encourage you all to take the time to recognise, reflect on and appreciate the special people in your life, and focus on the small, random acts of kindness you can commit, which can have such a large impact on others. If you have the time, the following link displays a fantastic presentation of this theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU.  

We also want to stress that each and every one of you has something truly special to offer to this community, we know that this year has so much to offer and we look forward to helping you make the most out of yourself and of this journey.

As Captains for 2021, our vision is to help all members of our wonderful School community develop their own leadership abilities. We believe that each person has little threads of leadership, which can be strengthened and built upon. Being a leader is not about the badge or title, it’s about the small things and actions that the person includes within their daily life. Our School is fortunate enough to have so many programs and pathways that can help develop your own leadership skills. This could be through sport, the arts programs, debating, cadets, service programs and even how you conduct yourself in the classroom and day-to-day activities. By throwing yourself into all the opportunities the School has to offer, you can gain a deeper understanding of who you are as a person and as a leader. Now, this doesn’t mean you must do everything the school offers to become a great leader. Taking small steps and dipping your toes in the water of activities is such a great way to start. We encourage all of you to try something new this year. Maybe this was something that you weren’t interested in before, or maybe something that you always wanted to do but you felt a bit nervous or tentative to try it out. Whatever it may be, we know that there are people all around you who will be able to support you in making this year the best it can be. 

This year will be an opportunity for all of you to not only make the most of the year for yourself, but help others make the most of it. For many people, last year left them feeling emotionally isolated and they struggled to keep in touch with their friends and peers. Supporting those around you will be integral to ensuring that our School culture is one of inclusivity and compassion. Simply having a chat with someone and taking the time out of your day to see how they’re travelling can make a big difference in their day, and even give them the courage and self-belief that they can take that step and make each day their own. Because after all, each little act of kindness and compassion can help paint a picture, which we will be able to be proud of, as we know it represents what this School community is all about. This year like many others will come with challenges, and it’s up to us as a community to respond in a way that best allows everyone to feel connected, safe and filled with the belief that they too can be a leader and make a difference, big or small. 

Now a special note for those of you who are navigating your way through the final year of schooling, we want to give you some words of encouragement and support. This year will be a tough one, undoubtedly. But, we know that it will be filled with wonderful memories. We encourage you to look holistically at the year ahead. What will you remember most? The time you spent in maths class or the relationships you built with friends and teachers? Your peers and teachers will be some of your most important support networks this year, so make the most of each day you get to spend with them. It becomes easy to focus on the ‘lasts’ that we will experience together, however, we hope that we can all look at this year in a more positive light. This year is the beginning of a new chapter for all of us, a year of new beginnings, a year to find your passion, and most importantly a year to enjoy with the people around you. Each and every moment will be special, good or bad, so cherish them. 

Remember, your hard work throughout this year will be a reflection of not only yourself, but of all the other people around you. Our position in the School community as Year 12 students is one that many of you have looked forward to, but it doesn’t come without responsibilities. Each and every one of you are now in positions of leadership in this community. Students will be looking to you for guidance and support as they have trust in your experiences and we know that all of you will continue to uphold the high standards that our year level, in particular, is known for. 

By Frank Bevacqua & Bella Saka, School Captains, Year 12, Plenty Campus

Welcome back to The Ivy Voice! The year is moving speedily, and we are more than halfway through Term 1. We hope all readers are happy and reflecting on their progress and efforts in Term 1 with positivity and pride.  If not, remember that each new day commences with new possibilities, ideas, and thoughts!

This year it is our mission as Captains to inspire everyone to strive to achieve their personal best in all spheres of schooling – academics, co-curricular activities and socially. This cannot be achieved alone. We encourage all readers to seek support, ask for help and champion each other! With so many different things to juggle it is the small things like a helping hand, reassuring words of support from a friend or encouragement from a peer, that can make all the difference.  A 'helping hand'  can be simply listening with a friend, respective differences, seeking advice from a teacher, acknowledging positive contributions, inviting a new class member to join an activity, or seeking the guidance of a trusted teacher or family member.  Offering a helping hand to another student is free and is a small but powerful way to show kindness. The light it brings may only start with a small ripple but as we all offer a helping hand more often each day the ripple can turn into a tidal wave, that makes a real and genuine difference to the lives and experiences of all students. Let us all pass on encouragement and kindness in this way, every day, where possible. 

For us, as we walk through the maze of Year 12 activities and assessments,  we are celebrating and savouring the final opportunities to enjoy the benefits of the co-curricular activities available at Ivanhoe.  It is well known that co-curricular activities contribute positively to personal confidence, learning development, enhanced time management, improved learning processes and study skills. In the middle years, it is easy to take this for granted as you do not even notice the small incremental changes to these skills over weeks, terms, and years. It is only as you approach the summit of your secondary schooling that you realise how much these extra activities have shaped you, developed your study skills and, indeed, framed so many of your memories.  

When we reflect on the many years spent at debating meetings, cadet training, orchestra rehearsal, service activities or Saturday Sport, however, it is the friendships formed and strengthened during these experiences that we consider the biggest gift of participating.  

The friends we have formed at Ivanhoe while participating in co-curricular activities have enriched our lives as students and the challenge is to do better and be better. Now, as we tackle, our final year of secondary school and the stress that comes with it, it is these same friends that we can count on to share the journey, strengthen us,  and keep the inner flame alight. 

The co-curricular activities offered at our school are a gift. They create opportunities to build friendships that help us discover the strengths in each other, spread light, and lift each other.  How will you approach co-curricular activities this year? We encourage you to approach them, like us, as a gift. If you do, we guarantee these are the happy memories that will carry you through your final year of schooling. 

We are so excited to see what Ivanhoe Grammar School can bring in 2021.