Our school leaders for 2007 | Taranaki News | Local News in Taranaki

Our local high schools have appointed leaders for 2007 and the talented group of students are all looking forward to leading their peers to a successful year.

Stratford High School has created a leadership team and has appointed Gary Gooch and Jessica Severinsen as their head students.

Gary is heavily involved in sport, playing for both the First XV rugby team and the First XI cricket team. He also has a hefty subject schedule in front of him.

He is also an active member of SADD, is a peer supporter and is part of the peer reading programme.

Gary hopes to attend university next year, but is undecided about which educational path he will follow.

Jessica also plays her fair share of sport including cricket and netball.

She has a busy year ahead, fitting in her head girl duties around a timetable including geography, English, statistics and modelling, biology and physical education.

Actively involved in peer support and peer reading, Jessica also has time to compete in Stage Challenge.

Next year, she hopes to study Urban Development at Victoria University.

The rest of the Stratford High School Leadership Team is made up of arts captain, Aileen Ryan; sports captains, Laura Kjestrup and Neil Harper; BOT representative, Taya Caskey; and student council chairperson, Emma Gane.

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St Mary's Diocesan School has four girls in major leadership roles for 2007.

Head girl, Heather Newlove, is partnered with deputy Anna Mansell. Kimberley Stevenson and Judith Stewart team up as the heads of the boarding aspect of the school.

The girls have been working together for a few weeks and are really enjoying the expericence of being leaders and hope to see their school go far.

"It has been really good so far. We are looking forward to a very productive year. We want to lead by example and hope to see progress in all areas of the school this year," they said.

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Inglewood High School has dedicated head boy and girl, Shaun Bracegirdle and Nyssa Edgecombe at the helm for 2007.

Shaun is an avid sportsperson and plays soccer for the Inglewood premier team. He hopes to trial for Team Taranaki this season. He is a chair of the school council and hopes that this year's experiences will take him successfully onto university in 2008.

Nyssa is equally as active in sport and has represented Taranaki in hockey for many years which she hopes to do again this season.

An active member of SADD and the student council, Nyssa juggles a busy educational schedule and has aspirations to study teaching at Victoria University.

The pair have had a great start to the year and are enthusiastic about what is to come.

"It has been very full on, but exciting. Our focus this year is involvement, whether it be cultural, sporting or academic. We want everyone to be involved in something and enjoying it," they said.