St John Paul II Catholic College Schofields Nirimba School Captains; Jayden Kemp & Juliana Murace
As we go into another school year, the Blacktown’s school leaders are preparing to lead and motivate their fellow students through 2022.
From natural leaders to future sports stars to the educators of tomorrow, the school leaders of western Sydney have shared what makes them a leader and what their futures hold.
Meet the region’s young and upcoming leaders for 2022.
School captain Jayden Kemp
The student leader of St John Paul II Catholic College has a passion for service and love for the community, seeing the teenager take any opportunity to lead with confidence and pride.
What makes you a good leader?
As a leader, I ultimately want to be able to give back to the school for everything that it has given me. I also want to spread this idea of ‘giving back’ to the wider community, through initiatives such as Vinnies Van. Being a college leader has taught me the importance of maintaining integrity, compassion and confidence, as well as the importance of leading by example, in order to make the school a fairer, safer, kinder and overall better place.
What are your future aspirations?
At St John Paul II, I have had so many amazing opportunities to not only take part in school activities and represent the school, but to also act as a voice for student needs. I’m passionate about being actively involved in change around the school and when I graduate, I want to continue serving the community and hope to find a role that will allow me to continue making a difference in people’s lives. The idea of one day running for a representative role sounds appealing to me as it would allow me to make a tangible difference in improving the lives of many.
School captain Juliana Murace
St John Paul II Catholic College school captain and sports lover Juliana Murace said she loves the chance to play team sports and express her leadership skills, teamwork and have fun.
“Having a strong family culture, I constantly strive to be selfless, kind and compassionate to all people,” she said. “My strong will and passion for helping others has been reflected during my time volunteering in Vinnies Van – helping those who are vulnerable.”
What makes you a good leader?
As a leader, I am passionate and driven in making a difference in my school community and being a voice for all my peers. Always lending a helping hand, recognising the value in small things and motivating others to reach their full potential is a goal of mine and something I would greatly love to leave behind at the college. The Covid-19 lockdowns and periods of online schooling made me realise that maintaining connections and relationships between peers is important to keep motivated and achieve our best.
As a part of my leadership experience and my future aspirations I will strive to collectively motivate and unify not only our cohort but the entirety of the school, becoming a role model that upholds our school’s Catholic values. Alongside the staff and teachers, I aim to inspire my fellow peers to achieve the best of their abilities in the classroom but also after we graduate at the end of 2022. I hope to go to university after school.
