Almost as soon as he stepped on campus, year 11 Essendon student, Luke Dyke, was recognised for his leadership qualities. These qualities soon saw him elected to the Essendon Student Leadership Group. We caught up with Luke to see how his year has been so far and how he’s shouldering his leadership responsibilities.
The Academy: Hi Luke. You’re almost at the halfway point of your first year at The Academy. How has the journey been so far?
Luke: Thanks for having me! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my first semester at The Academy. I have made some great friends and I love coming to school everyday. The teachers have been amazing at building a relationship with everyone and helping us all fit in.
TA: With your old school not being too far in your distant memory, how would you describe your classroom learning at The Academy compared to what you were used to previously?
L: I think that classroom learning at The Academy is a lot more collaborative and better suited to hands-on, visual learning. At my old school we only did a little group work and I found I would lose interest in the classwork. Whereas, at The Academy I’m more engaged in my work and feel like I’m learning more everyday.
TA: What about your footy development? How has The Academy’s High Performance Program helped you achieve your goals on the field?
L: I believe that participating in The Academy’s High Performance Program has helped me get stronger so I am able to compete with the older players in my league and get the most out of my season. I definitely feel I’m able to take my game to the next level.
TA: The Academy aims to develop students’ leadership qualities as part of its curriculum, however you were identified as a natural leader and elected to the Student Leadership Group – how did you feel about taking on that responsibility?
L: I’m happy to take on the responsibility of being a student leader because I think that I have a great team of leaders around me. We also get the support of Alex Rance and The Academy team to make sure we make the right decisions on behalf of the other students – I really feel we’re helping everyone get the most out of their experience.
TA: What are some of the responsibilities of being part of the Student Leadership Group, and how does your role help you shape the student experience at The Academy?
L: My role helps shape the student experience because [the leadership group] participate in regular leadership meetings where we talk about steps we can take to make school as easy as it can be for all the students, so we can all participate in gym and footy training programs.
TA: Thanks for chatting with us, Luke and we wish you all the best for your remaining 18 months at The Academy. Are there any shoutouts you’d like to give?
L: Thanks for having me, but before I go I’d like to shout out Josh Iacobaccio (former Year 11 Essendon teacher) because he played a massive role in teaching me during my first semester at The Academy and I want to wish him all the best in his new teaching role.