Isabelle Trezise didn鈥檛 go into her prefect interview fixated on the role of School Captain. It was such a nice surprise, being chosen out of everyone who applied,鈥� she says.
The appointment might have caught Isabelle off-guard, but it didn鈥檛 shock many others. The 17-year-old from Kyabram is bright, engaging and enthusiastic about school. She is also passionate about bringing a sense of community to the grounds of GVGS, after a long year of classes over Zoom.
鈥淚鈥檓 pretty happy we鈥檙e back, because that wasn鈥檛 ideal,鈥� says Isabelle, adding, 鈥渂ut in a weird way, it was kind of fun鈥�.
Last year, Isabelle fast-tracked Indonesian. 鈥淚t was good, but a bit challenging鈥�. This year, she鈥檚 studying English, Further Maths, Health and Human Development, Psychology and of course, Economics.
鈥淚 honestly love all my subjects this year,鈥� says Isabelle, when we ask if she has a favourite. 鈥淚 still don鈥檛 know exactly what I want to do. I like a lot of things, so I do have a pretty big mix of subjects. I鈥檓 interested in business and economics, maybe even politics, but also psychiatry and psychology, which are completely opposite,鈥� she says with a laugh.
Isabelle credits her teachers and GVGS鈥� career counsellor, Mrs Block, for perpetuating a positive, 鈥榚verything will work out fine鈥� mentality. 鈥淢rs Block has been telling us, 鈥榟ave some ideas, but you don鈥檛 need to know exactly what university course or career you want to do.鈥欌�� Isabelle says that right now, her cohort seems more focused on doing well at their studies, 鈥渁nd then we鈥檒l see where that takes us.鈥�
While studying is the top priority, Year 12 is also about having fun. It鈥檚 the last time you get to spend every day surrounded by the people you鈥檝e pretty much grown up with, so it goes without saying that memories must be made, and lost time must be made up for鈥攍ast year. Isabelle and her grade had their Presentation Ball, Eisteddfod and even a school trip to Europe cancelled due to the pandemic. 鈥淲hat can you do,鈥� she says with a mature shrug.
Isabelle plays Goal Attack for the Stanhope Netball Club on the weekends. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good break from studying and it forces me to get out of the house, because once I start studying it can be hard to pull me out of that bubble.鈥� She did press pause on her 13-year dance career to focus on school.
Peppered with events like Concert Under the Stars, Valentines Day and the House Swimming Carnival, the first term was a busy one for Isabelle and her Co-Captain, Akhil. They are excited, she says, to 鈥済et some more new things up and running next term鈥�.
鈥淚 would like to do something that really brings the school community together and involves the younger year levels, because of last year, not as many of us got to know each other.鈥� It鈥檚 fitting, then, that the leader Isabelle looks up to most is New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
鈥淚 think she鈥檚 really inclusive and such a good role model. She stands up for the right things, regardless of race, religion or gender, she鈥檚 just really equal with everything she does,鈥� says the School Captain. 鈥淚 really think she鈥檚 a great role model for women.
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