by Bhavish Naveen Kumar and Aliyah Deng
Across our high school journey, one particular moment that plucks the strings of nostalgia more than any other. A short moment, lasting only seconds, but long enough to mark the beginning of something bigger than either of us realised at the time.
It was the moment Aliyah and I got handed our badges.
It wasn’t as if the announcement was new—we already knew we would be stepping into this role. But when those badges were placed in our hands, the wave of realisation settled in. For the next 3 terms, we would step into what has become the most incredible opportunity of our lives so far.
Our number one goal as a team was, and always will be to strengthen the HCC community, and for years Mr Borrello has led by example in this mission—one way being his principal’s blog which shares the story of our school from the voice of senior leadership. Today, we begin the College Captain’s blog to emphasise another pivotal perspective; student voice—the voices who live the story every day.
Our college captain’s blog isn’t for event summaries or announcements, it’s for sharing the heart of our community: the people, the moments, the lessons, and the experiences that make Holy Cross more than a school.
As student leaders, creating legacy for us certainly lies in implementing policies that build a better environment at Holy Cross. One example of this comes from Aliyah, who led an initiative to improve the reliability of our after school bus services. After noticing how inconsistent the arrival times had become, Aliyah worked alongside our leadership team, Mr Borrello, and Mrs Michelle Maynard MLA, Member for Swan Hills, to bring student concerns forward. A petition was created, meetings were held, and after presenting the proposal, two additional buses were added to the after‑school routes, along with improved timing. The process wasn’t glamorous, it involved waiting around, gathering feedback, and navigating a few bumps along the way. But it showed us that leadership is often found in the quiet work that doesn’t get applause. That’s legacy. That’s leadership.
But the greatest part of legacy lies in our interactions. To us, having life to the full is about the quiet conversations in the courtyard, witnessing the courage shown by younger students trying something new, the resilience of our peers balancing study and life, and the leadership shown in everyday acts of kindness.
This year, as College Captains, we want to honour those moments. We want to celebrate the students who inspire us. We want to highlight the leadership team who work tirelessly behind the scenes. We want to speak directly to the community that has shaped us, but most of all, we want to leave behind a legacy that reflects what Holy Cross stands for—not just in achievements, but in character.
This blog is our way of doing that, and if you’re reading this, you’re part of the legacy we’re building, and we’re so grateful to walk this journey with you.