The Year 9 Leadership Program is well underway for 2024, with 16 students from Years 7-9 representing the areas of Sport, Art and Service. The program aims to help students develop their leadership skills through both instructional sessions and practical activities. In their initial meetings with Mr. Deroon, the group has been studying the leadership example of Jesus, who exemplified servant leadership by being a capable individual and bringing out the best in others.
Art Leaders and Students Attend the Model United Nations
Last week, a group of our students, including all our Art Leaders, attended a Model United Nations event. They represented Germany, India, Costa Rica and Rwanda. In preparation, they spent four weeks researching their respective countries and identifying their stances on various issues to be voted on at the event. On the day, they joined representatives from 32 countries to deliver speeches, debate, negotiate and sometimes plead for support on their positions.
In the end, Costa Rica succeeded in passing a resolution advocating for greater collaboration in supporting countries with significant refugee populations. Unfortunately, Rwanda's resolution for increased funding from high-earning countries to low-GDP countries was voted down. All students had a wonderful time, and it was an excellent opportunity to develop their public speaking skills in a forum with over 150 students from other Melbourne schools.
Service Leaders and Wyndham Youth Centre
Our Service Leaders participated in a four-part program run by Wyndham Council, designed to develop their leadership skills by facilitating a school event. During these sessions, students learned how to create and present a full brief on an idea, secure funding or support, and develop public speaking and activity evaluation skills.
The Service Leaders decided to focus on reducing student stress around exams. They aimed to help younger students manage exams and prepare effectively based on their own experiences. On Thursday, they presented to our Year 8 students, answering questions about surviving exams. Next Monday, they will run a special session for Year 7 students, who are approaching their first exam week at HCC.
Our HCC Service Leaders also presented at the Wyndham Youth Resource Centre on their idea and the importance of body language when speaking to a group.
Our 2024 Year 9 Leadership team has started the year very well, showing a strong desire to embed the culture of HCC even deeper into our daily interactions—a culture where all students feel safe, dignified, and that they belong. Well done to them, and I am confident the programs they continue to run throughout the year will be an excellent experience for all our Year 7-9 students.