2022 South-East Queensland Anglican Schools Student Leadership Symposium

Canterbury College was honoured to host the senior student leaders from various Anglican Schools around South-East Queensland, for the second annual Anglican Schools Student Leadership Symposium on Friday 18 March 2022.

This year’s very appropriate theme – set amongst the backdrop of the global pandemic, war in Ukraine, climate change, and the recent Logan floods – was that of Embracing Joy, or finding positives in any situation, and creating happy solutions as part of their student leadership opportunities.

This event brings various student leadership groups together, so they can compare their different college approaches, philosophies and leadership values, while also joining forces to ‘group think’ ways of better finding and appreciating the joys of school life and leadership, to be a better role model for others.

The symposium nurtures closer relationships between like-minded schools, staff and students, and supports these leaders to embrace the joy of difference and diversity, that helps strengthen our Anglican unity and identity.

It also served as a chance for the whole group to pray together in the Canterbury Chapel for a joyful year ahead for their respective colleges, led by Canterbury’s new College Chaplain Reverend Melusi Sibanda.

After chapel service, student leaders listened to keynote presentations from: Reverend Richard Browning – Director of Mission, Anglican Schools Commission Southern Queensland; Natalie Waters – Business and Leadership Coach and Mentor; and global speaker Duku Forè GAICD – Founder of the Rich Dreams Program and App.

The messages from these keynote speakers to the student leaders were both powerful and memorable.

And the post-event feedback from various student leaders about the day summed up the symposium eloquently:

“Growth is only possible outside your comfort zone, that saying yes opens a million opportunities, and that you just need to put yourself out there, because anything is possible.”

“Their stories were very engaging, and the topics they brought up were extremely applicable, especially for Year 12 students.”

“Leadership is about putting yourself out there, taking risks, and respecting the people you represent.”

“The diverse panel of speakers showed me that being a leader is a diverse experience.”

“Be the role model you needed when you were younger.”

Special thanks must go to the staff who escorted their students from: The Glennie School, St Andrew’s Anglican College, Toowoomba Anglican School, The Southport School and Coomera Anglican College.

Canterbury would also like to thank the Principals and Headmasters of the attending schools for their continued support of the symposium.

The 2023 symposium will be held at Canterbury College on Friday 24 February 2023.

Canterbury College welcomed the following Anglican schools and their student leaders in 2022: All Saints Anglican School, Cannon Hill Anglican College, Coomera Anglican College, St Andrew’s Anglican College, St John’s Anglican College, St Paul’s School, Toowoomba Anglican School, The Glennie School, The Southport School and The Springfield Anglican College.