General News
18 March, 2026
Captains take the reins
THE student leaders at Simpson Primary School have started the year off strong after attending outside school events to enhance their leadership skills.
Four out of the five student leaders attended the Student Leaders Congress at Deakin University Warrnambool campus recently, coaching them on skills to bring back to school.
School captain Jack Vogels said it was a valuable experience.
“I learnt a lot of new stuff about how to be school captain and a leader,” he said.
“I took a few things away from it like always be brave, don’t be selfish and don’t be rude to people – make it fun.”
Jack said he became school captain because he thought it would be “cool” and was prepared for anything the role would throw at him.
“I wasn’t quite sure what being school captain would be like at the time, like what they do,” he said.
“I thought being school captain would be cool – whatever it was, I didn’t really care what it was, I just wanted to try.
“I was nervous about being around new people and talking to different people.
“I wanted to help little kids, go meet other people from different schools and go to other places to talk to people.
“I just want to meet more people from different schools and other people who are special around the world.”
Jack’s fellow school captain, Ted Mahoney, also attended the Student Leaders Congress.
“I took away from it to never give up and that nice words are better,” he said.
“I also took away that just because other people are different that doesn’t mean you have to treat them differently.”
Ted ended up as school captain through a conversation – he hadn’t applied through the form sent home with students.
“I got asked if I wanted to be school captain and I said yes and told them why,” he said.
“I’m really in the role because I want to help and inspire others to do better things.
“I want to meet new people, help others at all times.
“I’m confident, persistent and never stop trying which I think makes me a good school captain.
“I’m looking forward to leading people and coming up with new ideas that can help people in different ways.”
Alongside Jack and Ted are house captains Matilda Merret-McKellar, Thomas Vines and Landon Robertson, who are taking the challenges of leading their houses in stride and are looking forward to upcoming sporting events like cross country.
Captain of red house, Matilda, said she wanted to be a role model for younger students.
“I wanted to be a house captain for fun and for the younger kids to look up to someone,” she said.
“As house captain we have to do sports stuff, like for cross country we had to get all of our houses together.
“I like cheering the kids on and making sure they’re doing everything correctly.”
Blue house captain Thomas said he was thrust into the captaincy role but was happy to take it on.
“I didn’t really decide to be blue house captain – I didn’t hand in a form,” he said.
“Since I was the oldest in blue house and I show a lot of responsibility I’m pretty sure that’s why I got chosen.
“I decided to take on the role to take some responsibility and help people out.
“I enjoy helping people out and being responsible.”
Gold house captain Landon said he had high hopes for his house this year.
“I brought the sheet home and told mum I wanted to be the leader of gold house because I’m into sports and when you’re a gold house captain, at the end you get to hold the trophy if you win,” he said.
“I think I have good ideas and I think I’m a good role model.
“I’m excited to meet new people.
“At athletics I kept pushing my hardest to be a good role model for the younger kids.”
Both Landon and Ted recently attended Somers Camp, a nine-day camp for student leaders from different schools to get together and collaborate, enhancing leadership skills and making lasting connections.
Wellbeing coordinator Madison Lucas said all students had confidently stepped into their leadership roles.
“We’re very lucky to have these students leading the school – they’re very good role models,” she said.
“I’ve even noticed a difference in Landon and Ted who were on Somers Camp who have come back, they’ve been really good leaders.
“Ted was the first one at Student Leaders Congress to collaborate with the school behind us which was Camperdown College, which was amazing to see, that those qualities are already coming out in the kids.”
Moving into the rest of the year, the students were looking to start a project to do with wellbeing, which Mrs Lucas said would involve the wider community.
“They’re going to sit down and work out what is a plan of attack and we were thinking of a mud kitchen for the prep kids in the sand pit,” she said.
“We were going to approach the men’s shed here to work in with them and let them teach these guys some skills and deliver that to the kids in the sand pit.
“It’s working with other people outside the school community as well to help the wellbeing of everyone.”
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