2026 School Captains
2026 School Captain
Ashutosh Vaitha
“Leadership isn’t about standing at the front. It’s about being there for people, building real connections, and creating a space where everyone feels they can be themselves.”
I believe student leadership is not a title, but as something you live out every day through service to the people around you. For me, being School Captain is about redefining what a leadership role can be: less about standing at the front, and more about being grounded in the community I’m part of.
What matters most to me is connection. In my role as School Captain I endeavour to be someone people can rely on, someone students can talk to, and someone who always shows up for the people I’m leading. I’ll always be there, big moments or small ones, and I take that responsibility seriously.
I genuinely believe it’s the small connections that have the most impact, even when you don’t realise it at the time. Those five minutes you take out of your day to check in on someone can mean everything to them. Those are the moments I want to be remembered for.
More than anything, I hope to be remembered for my kindness and empathy, and for putting everything I possibly can into my leadership. I want to create a space where every student feels they can be their most authentic self, in a judgement-free environment where they’re supported to grow.
This is exactly what our student theme, Together We Thrive, means to me. We go further when we lift each other up. No one should have to navigate their journey alone, and the strongest communities are the ones where everyone feels they belong and feels safe to be themselves.
Canterbury has shaped not just who I am, but what I believe I’m capable of, and as School Captain I want to give that same belief back to every student, from the Early Learning Centre to Year 12.
I’m looking forward to a year of building those connections, championing student voice, and creating a culture where we don’t just succeed individually, but thrive together.
Favourite subjects: Economics | Mathematical Methods
Both of these are my toughest subjects, but I have a really fun time with them. They connect directly to the real world and have sharpened how I think about problems as an entrepreneur. They’ve pushed me to grow and have genuinely improved my problem-solving ability, which I carry into everything I do.
Favourite Canterbury Co-Curriculars: LEAP Entrepreneurship
Through LEAP Entrepreneurship, I get to work on and grow my own business while building connections with industry leaders, an experience that’s shaped me both as a founder and as a person.
Student Achievements:
- Gold, Silver and Red Colours Awards
- 7 NEWS Young Achiever Awards Semi-Finalist or Finalist (2026, 2025, 2024)
- Youth Leadership Academy Australia’s Youth Advisory Board Member (2026 and 2025)
- Oceania Regional Champion — Youth Speaker Challenge (2025)
- Entrepreneurial Excellence Award — Canterbury College (2025)
- First in Economics & Modern History (2025)
- Year 10 & Year 11 Academic Excellence — top 10% of cohort (2024, 2025)
- Fortior Quo Paratior Award — Canterbury College (2023)
- The Reverend T Cichero Community Service Award — Canterbury College (2023)
- CEO & Founder, Ashan Industries — AAC communication app for neurodiverse individuals (2021 – present)
- Student Parliament Co-Chair (2024) and Student Parliament Representative (2025, 2026)
- BOP Alumni of the Year, Winner — BOP Industries (2024)
- Finalist, Young Entrepreneur & Young Innovator of the Year — BOP Industries (2024)
- Secondary Winner — Westpac Youth Impact Challenge (2024)
- Runner Up, Future Anything National Grand Final (2023)
- Becket House Community Captain (2023)
2026 School Captain
Cooper McIntyre
“Great leaders eat last.”
Simon Sinek
I have been lucky enough to attend Canterbury since my first day of Kindergarten. Since then, this college community has played a massive role in shaping who I am today and what I’ll become tomorrow. I’ve witnessed many great leaders come and go at the school and it was my goal from Year 7 to one day be standing where they stood; it is a great personal honour and privilege to now be able to do so.
This year, Ashu and I, alongside the 2026 prefect team, presented to the Canterbury Community our student theme of “Together We Thrive.” This theme encompasses exactly makes our school so special for so many years – the people. It acknowledges and reinforces that it is not us as individuals that create and affect change in the world, but us as a collective. We have watched this theme grow and prosper throughout the year, and we look forwards to seeing it continue beyond our time as the leaders of the College.
Favourite subjects: Chemistry with Mr Stansbie and Physics with Mr Kelly.
These topics are challenging but extremely rewarding and my teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and interesting.
Favourite Canterbury Co-Curriculars: Cricket, the great game.
Playing 1st XI cricket alongside the rest of the boys has formed thousands of good memories which I’ll carry with me for years.
2nd XI Football (soccer) comes in at a close second because we have the best time.
Student Achievements:
- Gold, Silver and Red Colours Awards
2026:
- 1st XI Cricket Spirit Award 2026
- Student Parliament Representative
2025:
- Academic Excellence
- Student Parliament Representative
- Fortior Quo Paratior Award
- 2nd XI Football MVP
- 3rd Place Athletics Age Champion
- Youth Leadership Academy Australia’s Youth Advisory Board Member
2024:
- ADF Long Tan Leadership Award
- Academic Excellence
- Year 10 Football MVP
- Spirit of House Award
- Student Parliament Representative
- Student Parliament Co-Chair
2023:
- Academic Excellence
- Ramsey House Community Captain
- Spirit of House Award
2022 and earlier:
- First in Science
- x4 Academic Excellence
- Spirit of House Award
- Intermediate Seconds Cricket Spirit Award
- Junior School Captain