‘If you are called to lead, you are invited to serve.’

On Sunday 3 December 2023, six excited Year 8 students Annika Ganesh, Manha Abaid, Gabby Chisholm, Addison Raeside, Bella Nguyen and Ava Cabot boarded a plane to New Zealand and embarked on a life changing journey, attending the 2023 Junior Round Square Conference at Whanganui Collegiate School.

The conference theme focused on the Round Square IDEALS of Leadership and Service with the following quote by Wayne Brown, Headmaster of Whanganui Collegiate School – “If service is below you, leadership is beyond you” – resonating with us all. We heard from leaders in their respective fields such as Andrew Tripe (Mayor of Whanganui), Mark Crystal (Rangitikei Rivers Catchment Collective) and Rachel Maia (New Zealand’s top para-climber), learning about leadership from a completely different lens by delving into how versatile leadership and service can be, and how even a small act of service can go a long way. The speakers addressed leadership qualities such as being empathetic, being more culturally aware and always striving for feedback.

Rachel Maia’s talk about her perseverance and courage to pursue her passion for climbing despite the excruciating pain of a shattered foot was inspirational. She spoke about her dedication to her sport and the sacrifices she made, as well as the support she received from her three children, which were pivotal to her placing second in the 2022 World Cup and third in the 2023 World Championships. We were inspired by her drive and perseverance, being essential qualities of a leader.

The IDEALS of Internationalism, Democracy, Environmentalism and Adventure also featured throughout the conference. Our activity groups were made up of students from every corner of the globe, such as India, Canada, Bermuda and USA, allowing us to share perspectives and broaden our understanding of the world by exploring Internationalism and learning about cultures. Throughout this trip, we fostered bonds with these students, developing our friendship-making skills, while experiencing different cultures and backgrounds.

On Service Day, Environmentalism was at the forefront as we helped with revegetating an area of native land in a rural community. Finally, Adventure was an underlying theme throughout the conference, but particularly in the Makahika outdoor pursuits session, where we developed our resilience and grit through high ropes challenges and orienteering. Connecting to the Wilderness School value of Adventurous Learning, we learned to face our fears and navigate tough challenges.

Learning about the cultural teachings of the Māori people developed our respect for a new and diverse culture. We learned some Māori language such as numbers, colours and dance moves through fun games led by Māori leaders, and gained insight into cultural practices and their interpretation of the land. Learning about Māori martial arts taught us respect for the land we were standing on and knowledge about regulating our emotions, as the leaders interpreted the traditional symbolism for various poses including the ability to ground ourselves within the environment around us. It was enlightening to learn about the similarities with the Australian Indigenous Dreamtime stories.

This trip was a life changing experience and we are excited to apply our newfound knowledge within our school environment and our personal communities, and to share the stories and cultural experiences we enjoyed during this experience with everyone.

Gabrielle Chisholm, Annika Ganesh and Manha Abaid
Year 9