What does leadership look like at Korowa? For generations of students, it has meant having the confidence to step forward, the courage to represent others, and the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to their school community.
The School Captains and Deputies Reunion brought together Korovians, from the Class of 1959 to the Class of 2026, to celebrate a student leadership tradition that reaches back more than a century.
More than a reunion, the event connected Korowa’s past with its future and demonstrated something prospective families quickly discover about our Melbourne girls’ school: leadership isn’t simply a title. It’s something students learn by doing.
A tradition of student leadership since 1912
Student leadership at Korowa can be traced back to 1912, when the School appointed its first Head Prefect.
The role has continued to evolve across generations, from Head Prefects and Vice Head Prefects to School Captains and Deputies, and today’s Co-School Captain model.
Extensive archival research brought this history together, drawing on photographs, honour boards, School records, and personal stories to trace more than a century of student leadership.
While the titles have changed, the foundations remain remarkably consistent: leadership, service, responsibility, and representing something bigger than yourself.
Connecting generations of Korowa leaders
Current School Captains joined former student leaders at the reunion, creating a rare opportunity for different generations to share their experiences of leadership at Korowa.
Our 2026 School Captains spoke about what leadership means to students today, while former Captains reflected on their own time at the School.
Across the room were leaders whose experiences were separated by decades but connected by a shared understanding of what it means to represent Korowa.
It was leadership coming full circle.
Stories that live beyond the archives
Some of the most powerful discoveries came from looking beyond names and dates.
Research uncovered families in which leadership at Korowa has crossed generations, including grandmothers and granddaughters, mothers and daughters, and sisters who have each held student leadership positions.
One remarkable Korovian was Vice Head Prefect in 1957, Head Prefect and Dux of the School in 1958.
These connections speak to something bigger than tradition. They demonstrate the enduring relationships families build with Korowa and the sense of belonging that can continue long after a student walks through the School gates for the final time.
Advice passed from one leader to the next
At the heart of the reunion were four extraordinary School Captains’ Books, maintained by successive student leaders since 1984.
Across their pages are handwritten reflections, speeches, photographs, memorabilia, and letters offering advice to the Captains who would follow.
During the reunion, former Captains rediscovered their entries, shared memories, and read the words left by leaders from other generations. Current Captains could see, firsthand, that they are part of a story much larger than their own year of leadership.
These books capture leadership as it really happens: personal, evolving, and passed forward.
Developing the next generation of girls’ leadership
At Korowa, leadership development extends beyond formal positions. Students are encouraged to find their voice, contribute their ideas, take responsibility, serve their community, and develop the confidence to act.
Bringing former and current Captains together reinforced why this matters. The skills and confidence developed through student leadership don’t end at graduation. They become part of how Korovians contribute to their workplaces, families, communities, and the world around them.
A Korowa connection that lasts
The reunion celebrated the contribution of generations of student leaders, but it also demonstrated the strength of the wider Korowa community.
Former Captains have continued their connection with the School through mentoring, panel discussions, advocacy, and philanthropy, sharing their experience with the students following in their footsteps.
That enduring connection is an important part of a Korowa education.
Students may only spend a chapter of their lives at school. The relationships, confidence, and sense of belonging they build here can last much longer.
More than a century after Korowa appointed its first Head Prefect, a new generation is continuing that story. The names and titles may change.
The opportunity to lead remains.
