The Ripple Effect

Drawing from a memory of watching her grandfather perform with his band, Prefect Scarlett (Year 11), invites her peers to reflect on the profound impact of everyday moments.

Each week, our student leaders share their insights with their peers in Assembly.

When I listen to live music or see people dancing together, I am often taken back to the time I travelled to Kiama to watch the greatest band of all time, the Wicked Dragons.

I don’t expect you to have heard of them … but they were the coolest band of grandparents I have ever seen. It's not my normal Saturday night and they were not Pitbull (the bald, goateed rapper who stole the show from Mariah at Fridayz Live), but they had a special member - my grandpa, Pop.

There are three things you should know about him. He was a rockstar in an accountant's body, strangely wore aviator sunglasses inside and was an amateur chef who made the best capsicum with capers and olives. But most importantly, he loved music and in the Wicked Dragons was where he shone the most.

I'll take you back this night. I was about 11 and we'd driven from Sydney to Kiama with a lot of anticipation for the performance because until then I hadn't known the band even existed. I knew Pop played the guitar and he had been in bands since he was in high school, but this was the first time I would get to see him perform.

Once the music started, I quickly joined the mosh pit, similar to busking on a Friday and realised I was the youngest there by a few decades but looking up and seeing Pop on stage, strumming away, he gave me a quick wave. I am telling you this because he gave me a gift that night. It wasn't a present he wrapped or a pasta he made me, although he made pretty good pasta. He gave me a moment I'll treasure forever.

And that's what our 2025-2026 student leaders’ theme ‘Give More, Grow More’ means to me.

Giving doesn't have to be difficult and it doesn't have to be extravagant. To me, giving is about the moments we create, the intention we bring and the way we make others feel. It's about realising that a little goes a long way and that life is simply made up of lots of little moments. Through the noise of the band and the activity on the dance floor his presence and in his simple wave, Pop gave me that moment and the opportunity to grow. I grew in appreciation and in understanding how powerful those little intentional moments can be. But I think Pop grew a little bit too, knowing I was there.

So, Pop taught me the invaluable lesson that when you give, you open yourself up to growing more. And I think that idea is perfectly summed up in Paul Kelly's song From Little Things Big Things Grow. It encapsulates how a small act and a decision to stand up for others can be the catalyst for a larger movement. The phrase, ‘From Little Things, Big Things Grow’ can be applied more generally to represent how a small, seemingly minor event or action can initiate a larger, more impactful movement or change over time.

Just like Pop's wave on stage, small moments can have a profound impact. So be intentional with the small things and understand the impact that you have and as we go through this week together, remember to give more to every moment, because it may just be the stone that creates a ripple, reaching further than you will ever know.