ALMOST 40 student leaders representing eight Queensland secondary schools in the Marist tradition took part in an intensive weekend of leadership formation and training in Brisbane from January 20-22.
The schools represented included host Marist College Ashgrove; Trinity College, Beenleigh; St Teresa’s College, Noosaville; St Peter Claver College, Riverview; Chanel College, Gladstone; Marist College, Emerald; Burdekin Catholic High School, Ayr; and St Augustine’s College, Cairns.
The weekend was facilitated by Young Marists co-ordinator in Brisbane Christian Nobleza and the director of Vocations and Marist Life Brother Tony Leon.
“What we try to create is an environment where the student leaders of our schools can connect with each other and gain an understanding of the Marist story, its spirituality and mission,” Christian said of the annual event.
“By combining guest speakers, dynamic conversations, team-building activities and engaging prayer experiences, the gathering enabled participants to unpack different styles and understandings of leadership in creative ways, as well as expose the common expressions of Marist life in our schools.”
Christian said “the real strength of these weekends is being able to equip our student leaders with tools and a language which they can articulate what they want to do as leaders in the Marist way but more importantly who they want to be as young people in the Marist way”.
Scott McDonald, from Brisbane’s 96five Family radio station, was a keynote speaker.
“Scott delivered quite a powerful address to the participants, challenging them to think what ‘story’ do they want to live and be part of,” Christian said.
“In his presentation Scott drew on the need for the student leaders to challenge current ways of thinking about youth culture and to break through the pressures of high school and to respond with a sense or urgency to the fact that young people need to have peers who they can look up to.”
As well as the regular visits Christian carries out to each of the participating schools, the student leaders will have another opportunity to reconnect with each other in October for an event called “Renewing Marist Connections”.
