A Spirit of Leadership
Year 12 student Jessie initiated a significant Wenona partnership to take out the 2025 Alumnae Spirit Award.
The annual Award is presented to a student who embodies the School motto Ut Prosim, that I may serve through "a specific action or deed that would not normally be recognised by an annual School award".
Jessica was named this year’s recipient in recognition of her role as the key driving force behind the inaugural Wenona-Youth Off The Streets (YOTS) Sports Gala and the creation of the Wenona Youth Alliance.
Jessie’s involvement began with a simple response to a challenge from Youth Off The Streets CEO, Judy Barraclough, during a Women in Leadership session. Within days of attending Ms Barraclough's talk, Jessie had worked to mobilise her classmates around the concrete goal of creating the sports gala that YOTS schools had never been able to host due to their small size.
" I was inspired to send out a Google form to my year group, and see if I could rally some support to find a way to make it happen," Jessie explained. This enthusiastic response led to the formation of the 45-member Wenona Youth Alliance, which she co-founded with Wenona academic staff.
Working alongside Sports Captain Phoebe, Jessie coordinated every aspect of the event and ran lunchtime meetings to discuss administrative progress.
The Alumnae Spirit Award citation describes Jessie as "an insightful and innovative thinker, actively seeking ways to solve problems in creative and compassionate ways". This is perhaps best demonstrated by her determination to ensure the Youth Alliance continues beyond her graduation. Already, she's working to recruit students in the younger years, recognising they have "a rare opportunity to shape a service initiative into what they want it to be".
According to Jessie, Youth Alliance represents "a very real, very hands-on type of leadership, especially for students not necessarily voted into roles, but showing great proactiveness and willingness to take initiative". As her Award citation notes, "Her dedication to service and her ability to inspire others through her actions make her a true leader, who enriches the culture of her School and beyond".
Championing Change Beyond School
Another form of student leadership was recently recognised when Year 12 student Chloe received a Highly Commended at district level from Zonta International's Young Women in Leadership program, for her work in the area of advocacy.
Chloe said the recognition represents more than personal achievement. "It was an honour to be acknowledged for the values I hold close – equity, justice, and collective care," she reflected. Chloe said her advocacy work stems from being "struck by the gap between how things are and how they should be," observing patterns where women face unequal pay, silenced voices, and limited ambitions. Chloe said that her vision targets comprehensive change – "a world where gender is no longer a predictor of safety, income, or opportunity".
Together, Jessica and Chloe represent the breadth of leadership that emerges from Wenona, from building bridges through service to working to dismantle barriers through advocacy.