A Continuing Commitment to Leadership – Aredith Janarth School Captain 2023

A Continuing Commitment to Leadership

Aredith Janarth School Captain 2023

Aredith was in Kindy when he first attended a Schools Expo with his family. At The King’s School stand, a staff member gave Aredith a King’s cricket ball as a gift. He played with that ball for years. “Cricket was my life,” he recalls and he will never forget the first time he saw the picturesque JS White Oval. Today, though cricket remains a large part of his life, our 2023 School Captain’s interests and passions have broadened as his years at King’s have progressed.

Commencing in Year 5 at the Preparatory School, Aredith was an observant and reserved student. The exception was on the cricket and football fields, where he transformed into a determined and skilful young child, eager to make the 1st XI in both sports.

Although quiet by disposition, from an early age, Aredith possessed leadership qualities his parents, peers and teachers recognised in him.

“Coming from the Prep School, I was lucky to start Year 7 at King’s with strong friendships that have continued throughout Senior School. Yet, when I received an email to apply for the Student Representative Council (SRC), I was unsure whether I could represent my whole year group.”

Despite his reservations, with gentle encouragement from family and friends, Aredith applied and became a member of the SRC. He has thoroughly enjoyed being part of the SRC and was a member for five years. In Year 11, he was appointed SRC President.

“The SRC gave me a platform to develop and exercise my leadership skills and make a positive contribution to the school. As a leader, I have encouraged a collaborative environment where we all work together to achieve our shared goals. I was determined to take action and make a difference during my time as SRC President.”

In 2022, under Aredith’s leadership, the SRC raised more than $17,000 for charity through the Push-Up Challenge, a mental health initiative. “We developed an idea to integrate the Push-Up Challenge into an inter-house and inter-departmental competition to motivate the boys and teachers to participate and raise awareness for mental health. The event was a tremendous success and achieved a record number of King’s participants, placing us second out of all schools in Australia.” As part of the SRC, Aredith was also instrumental in bringing back the ‘toasties’ at the King’s Cafe, a popular request from the student body.

Reminiscing about his early days at King’s, Aredith believes his job as a leader is to ensure all boys, from Years 7 to 12, have a chance to share their ideas. “It is important to listen and involve the younger boys. As SRC President, my focus was on initiating a collaborative environment by creating breakaway groups during meetings that included boys from a range of year groups. Younger boys have the confidence to speak in smaller group settings and we benefited from hearing and implementing their ideas. As the newest students at the Senior School, it is important to hear their fresh perspectives.”

Kingsmen know they cannot be good leaders without seeking guidance and support from their leaders. Robert (2022 School Captain) wisely told him: “King’s is a great school. It has been a great school for 191 years and your job is to continue The King’s School legacy during your tenure.”

Aredith undertakes the leadership journey with his Executive Monitor Team comprising Angus Wruck (Vice Captain), Chris Woo (Executive Academics), Fraser Wait (Executive Character), Fergus Fergusson (Executive Community) and Kaylen La Brooy (Chaplaincy). They will endeavour to create a spirit of inclusivity by encouraging collaboration across all year groups.

He hopes to be a hands-on leader, actively involved across all portfolios.

“As one of our first initiatives, we are implementing a Monitor’s newsletter to improve communication between the leaders and the student body. It will be a combination of providing updates on the progress we are making and sharing practical information with our younger peers, such as tips for preparing for exams.”

Aredith believes leadership qualities include being a good listener, having strong communication skills, the ability to motivate others, upholding integrity and the willingness to take on responsibility.

While leadership is a passion, Aredith remains a dedicated sportsman and represents The King’s School in the 1st XI in both Cricket and Football. Both the Masters in Charge (MIC) of Football and Cricket speak highly of Aredith and his contribution to sport at King’s.

Peter Denyer says Aredith is a quiet and unassuming player who lets his performances do the talking during Football training sessions and matches. “Off the field, he is a consummate professional with his polite, calm manner and punctuality. Whether he knows it or not, Aredith has become a role model for many of our younger players to follow.”

MIC of Cricket, Rod Hokin, says the King’s Cricket community was delighted to see Aredith appointed School Captain. “The Cricket program at the school focuses on developing the character and leadership qualities of all players across our teams. It is fantastic to see Aredith and so many of our cricketers part of the Monitor team, in House leadership positions and on the Student Representative Council.” Rod acknowledges cricket is a challenging and strategic game. “We know it nurtures the character of our players both on and off the field.”

Embodying that notion, Aredith wants to ignite a spirit of inclusivity across the entire School. “For me, leadership is about putting others before yourself and leading for the benefit of others. I hope to be remembered as a School Captain who created a positive, lasting impact through acts of great kindness, resilience and service,” he says.