5 minute read
Introducing our Captains of School
Mia O’Callaghan & Francesca Zappia
What is important to you about being Captain of School?
Francesca: Being Captain of School is important to me because I have the opportunity to carry on the legacy of serving as a role model to the younger girls in the school. Even in my primary schooling, I always looked up to the School Councillors because they were so incredibly kind. This kindness is something I aspire to continue to spread as a leader at Loreto Toorak. I am so proud of my school as it constantly pushes us to work to our fullest potential and to pursue our passions in whatever domain they may be. The fact that I am able to represent a school which has such strong values and which I can wholeheartedly say that I love is incredibly special to me.
Mia: I hold great value in acting as a role model and source of encouragement for all students at Loreto Toorak. It is essential that our girls – the next generation of leaders, can utilise the qualities and strengths they observe from Francesca and I and apply them to their own school life. By acting as examples that students can relate to and communicate with, they can understand the importance striving to be people of integrity, honesty and humility. The ability to give back to my school community through my leadership virtues of wisdom, knowledge and determination is of great importance to me.
What strengths do you bring to your role?
Francesca: My top three character strengths are fairness, bravery and love of learning. I believe that fairness is a necessary trait in a Councillor, as a leader must treat everyone fairly and equally and encourage those around them to embody the same qualities. Bravery is relevant to my leadership position as there are many challenges one faces as a leader and this strength has armed me with an excitement to accept these challenges. My love of learning has always been apparent and it accompanies me in my daily life. I love learning about others and this skill has allowed me to be more open-minded in accepting others’ ideas.
Mia: I pride myself in being someone that is approachable and personable to all those I interact with. I prioritise connecting, communicating effectively and engaging with a wide range of individuals including teachers, parents and students. I believe that being affable and warm allows one to have the ability to engage in conversation with any person that is in their presence. This is especially important when I am meeting and collaborating with new people, and making everyone feel comfortable.
How can we live the value of Verity in the school context?
Francesca: Verity is a complex theme, but to me it means realising the truths within ourselves, and sharing those with others to realise more existential truths. In a school context, Verity helps students in recognising their strengths, exploring these to their fullest capacity, and sharing them with others. By realising our strengths and the strengths of those around us, we cultivate respect and honesty in the way that we collaborate.
Mia: In a school context, the value of Verity means striving to find the truth in yourself, which links closely with aiming to live our most authentic lives and exhibiting genuine feelings and actions. It means seeking to find truth in others and surrounding yourself with those whose truths align with your own, which allows us all to flourish. It means being aware of the undesirable truth; that sometimes the truth is not what we want to hear, but it must be accepted in order for us to mature and develop into wise young people continually striving to learn from our mistakes.
What is the most valuable lesson your Loreto education has taught you?
Francesca: To always work to my fullest capacity and apply myself to everything that I do, both academically and in my cocurricular pursuits. I have had the opportunity to be involved in the theatre department at school, and I am proud of how I have been inspired to perform at my very best. This has granted me the invaluable skills of persistence and discipline which I can now apply in my leadership, but also beyond school.
Mia: My Loreto education has taught me to grasp every opportunity so we can enrich the minds of others who do not receive the same possibilities that we do. The academic enrichment, co-curricular programs and social justice activities offer opportunities for us to expand our knowledge and wisdom and become well-rounded young women.
– Mia O’Callaghan, Captain of School
What are you passionate about? How does that help you be a positive leader for the Loreto school community?
Francesca: I am passionate about working with others and leading in a way that relies strongly on communication. In my leadership, I endeavour to promote this passion in everything that I do, hoping for it to transcend into enthusiasm, respect and being genuine. I also hope that this passion inspires others in the school community to approach their own lives with zest and to value the importance of communication.
Mia: I am passionate about cultivating an environment where girls feel supported and encouraged to achieve their ambitions, but also feel comfortable in knowing that every member of the community is there, including our marvellous teachers, to assist and guide them in times of need. I also want to encourage students to contribute to our school spirit through participating in activities that may be out of their comfort zone.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
Francesca: My proudest accomplishment would have to be being appointed Captain of School. Although this was not a title I specifically sought out throughout my schooling, I feel so honoured and proud to be granted the ability and responsibility of being a leader of a community which has been such a crucially formative part of the values of compassion, sincerity and persistence which I so strongly hold today.
Mia: I was honoured to represent Loreto Toorak as an inaugural member of the Global Young Leaders Conference 2019 in Washington and New York; an international congregation of young leaders with participants from 145 countries. Being a representative of my school in this program allowed me to develop my leadership skills, including visiting the United Nations, debating and scrutinising strategies to enhance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and visiting the US State Department.
