The Captains’ Dinner

Started by Dr Collier in 2014, what began as a small, and quite honestly slightly awkward event, has evolved to a wonderful night of friendship, fellowship, leadership, and inspiration. It is also “incredibly fun” according to Cleo Gavagna, 2023-24 School Captain, and “a precious opportunity” to see how the skills learnt as a student leader can be applied in all future endeavours.

As the event has grown, so has the relationship amongst the participants. The tradition each year for the captains to share a little about their life after school, means that they have shared each other’s journeys from study, early career steps, various transitions and evolving professional lives – and we have shared this journey with them. Strong bonds have been created across the years, forged through shared experiences and mutual respect.

Rama Chadda Harmer (Year 12 Captain) attended the 2024 dinner and commented on the warmth: “despite never meeting most of the other people present, it almost felt like a big family reunion, and the way people said goodbye with ‘see you next time’ really built this sense of community.”

In 2021, the ‘final’ gathering of Collier’s Captains took place – or so we thought. Over a balmy dinner on the rooftop, as each captain shared their favourite memories of their time at school, it soon became clear that the captains did not want this to be the last dinner. This group are persuasive, and so it was agreed to hold just one more dinner the following year, to introduce them to the new Head of School.

And so we did – this time with the captains sharing with Dr McGonigle what made St Andrew’s Cathedral School so special to them. Saffron Little (OA2022), was conscious of her position serving half her captaincy under Dr Collier and the other half under Dr McGonigle, “I thought it was an important and amazing way for Dr McGonigle to see the continuation of our culture through past leaders.”

And again … the captains did not wish it to be the last dinner.

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“there is a sense of pride in meeting the leaders who have helped shape the School’s spirit to what it is today …. sharing your own reflections and stories creates a lovely bond with these young leaders who are learning to balance different roles and responsibilities in their busy lives”.

And so, Collier’s Captains became the Captains’ Dinner – and was extended to include the captains from 2000, the year of our first coeducational student leadership team. This increased the depth of experience being shared, offering valuable but differing insights and opportunities for mentoring, and strengthening the support of past and present leaders.

Natalie Cooney (nee Moss, OA2005) reflects … “there is a sense of pride in meeting the leaders who have helped shape the School’s spirit to what it is today …. sharing your own reflections and stories creates a lovely bond with these young leaders who are learning to balance different roles and responsibilities in their busy lives”.

Daniel Bott, attending for the first time in 2024 as 2023-24 Vice-Captain found the experience “enriching and incredibly valuable in developing our captaincy, but also in broadening my understanding of life outside of school… There is a unique and remarkable bond created through shared experiences, and whilst we all came from different generations of St Andrew’s Cathedral School students, the roles we played in the School leadership team transcend barriers. “

He further reflected on the Q&A at this year’s dinner with Dr McGonigle – “the way in which the old Andreans interacted with Dr McGonigle I found particularly fascinating …the institutional transparency displayed via the tough questions helped me to develop trust in how the School worked …  I thought a lot more about the School and how decisions are made (and) I got a clear sense that students and their wellbeing were truly at the heart of every decision.”

To Aurelia (Vice Captain Year 12) one of the highlights was to hear about the captains’ journeys beyond school. “It was quite inspiring to see how these people, who once were in the same positions as us, have done such exciting things in their lives and that they have not been limited after school to just university – they’ve seen things and done things I didn’t even realise existed.”

School Captains are the heartbeat of our school, embodying its spirit, values and aspirations. Our captains care not only about the past but are passionate about the present and our future. They have and continue to play a pivotal role in shaping our school community, leaving a lasting legacy. It is such a joy, and testament to our community, that the School continues to hold such an important place in their hearts, just as they do in ours.