St Ignatius. Inspiring me to be a leader - Ross de Lange - College Captain

Hello reader,

My name is Ross de Lange and I am one of the 2023 College Captains. It is an honour to join the great legacy of past Ignatian leaders, particularly because these same leaders hugely impacted my development as a leader and student. In saying this, I would like to tell you about a recent school event where I had this same opportunity to shape the younger students, much like how past captains helped shape me. This event was the Year 7 welcoming mass, or, to be more specific, the period before the Year 7 mass where the students could eat a sausage and hang out (the running record is 5 snags). I thought this was a great opportunity to socialise with as many of the new students as I could and do my best to make everyone feel welcome. As you could probably guess, actual Year 7’s mixed with a Year 12 (with the spirit of a Year 7) made for some crazy action. From my blazar being ‘temporarily borrowed’ by some hyper energetic boy who would run away when I tried to get it back, to a coordinated ‘Griddy off’ (a new hip dance) this evening was nothing short of perfection. For me it was like my journey had come full circle, however now I’m the Captain doing his best to welcome the new students rather than the other way around.

I think this is a great example of how rewarding leadership can be and I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Ross de Lange | College Captain