On Friday, the 6th of May, we had the privilege to attend a reunion of leaders at the Archbishop’s house in West Perth. There were many schools that came to attend this and we were able to mingle amongst their leaders before the reunion started officially.
The afternoon began with a greeting from Phillip Goldsworthy, the Executive Officer of the Western Australian Anglican Schools Association (WAASA). Archbishop Roger then welcomed us into his home with a prayer and a bit of history about the house and his life. All the student leaders from all the schools were randomly divided into three groups and sent to our respective areas to have group discussions about leadership. Over the course of the afternoon each group rotated between each station to talk with different members of the Christian community – Reverend Sebastiana, Reverend Tom and the Archbishop of Perth.
The afternoon’s discussions were very interesting as we learned about what it meant to be a leader in an Anglican school – how our faith shapes how we act as a leader, and how we should serve others through our roles in our schools. We looked at the fears and the problems sometimes associated with leadership and how to overcome them but also how it is important to have fears and flaws. Nobody is perfect but we should always strive to do right by others. There was also a chance for us to determine our own personal goals for our leadership positions and determine ways of achieving them. There was so much that happened throughout the afternoon that each of us was able to personally take away something from the reunion, shaping our path forward as leaders at Peter Moyes.
“The day was a huge success! All the activities that we took part in not only allowed me to further develop our understanding on what being a true leader is, but also allowed me to build friendships with the other leaders. I am most thankful for what this day brought us and I hope that what I learned will enable me to act in such a way that it is beneficial for both the students and the rest of the school.” Joshua Elliot, Head Boy.
“The day taught me that a leader isn't always the messiah we are looking for, they are flawed and can make mistakes, however it is the way in which they recover and move forward that truly defines them. In the Anglican faith, a leader is someone who gives all they can to those who follow them and inspires them to be the best they can, a servant and a friend. This is the type of leader I hope to become, one that gives all, does all they can and most importantly helps those who can't help themselves” Holly Edwards-Smith, Head Girl.
“I was able to make many friends through this afternoon at the Archbishop's residence, and other conferences organised by the Anglican Schools Commission and I believe that through such, my own personal understanding of what it takes to be an effective, admired and overall "good" leader has been formulated. I believe that Friday, was a great learning experience and I personally cannot talk more highly of it.” - Innes Lumsden, Deputy Head Boy.
“I found the day a very valuable experience through the conversations I had with student leaders from other various schools. It was interesting to share our experiences and struggles in our leadership roles and get an insight into how they dealt with these issues. Through talking to all the other leaders around me I felt inspired to improve upon my own leadership role and to become the leader I want to be.” - Emily Watson, Deputy Head Girl.
“For me personally, I loved the opportunity this gave to me see how other people tackled a problem or reasoned about an idea. The afternoon tea gave me a chance mingle with people from other schools and hear what they are doing within their role which gave me new ideas for my role within Peter Moyes. But not only that, I was able to take on new perspectives on leadership, which hopefully will shape my actions as prefect for the benefit of others” -Francine van den Berg, Chapel Prefect.
Participating in the numerous activities and leadership dissuasions, al-lowed for us as a Commission of student leaders to grow and develop further in our leadership capabilities, while also strengthening our Anglican faith and social spheres. Often as a leader, you wonder about whether you are being effective and whether you have what it takes to be a “good” leader. Opportunities such as these really helped us as leaders strengthen our beliefs and open our minds to new possibilities.
The afternoon ran so smoothly and was so interesting that we’d like to thank everyone involved in organising this afternoon. It was a wonderful experience, which will definitely benefit our leadership roles in the future.
The afternoon concluded with delicious homemade foods and creamy hot chocolate – a perfect way to start the weekend!
BY HOLLY EDWARDS-SMITH, JOSHUA ELLIOT, EMILY WATSON, INNES LUMSDEN AND FRANCINE VAN DEN BERG