With his mother working as the Year 11 coordinator at GVGS, his father as the principal of Mooroopna Secondary College and his sister one half of the 2017 GVGS School Captain duo it鈥檚 no surprise that Patrick Bolton naturally gravitated towards applying for a school leadership position for 2019. 鈥淲hen leadership applications opened, I just thought I鈥檇 take that opportunity and see what happens,鈥� Patrick says. 鈥淚 definitely looked up to her [sister Emily Bolton] as a role model for sure, but we are very different people and I think we鈥檝e made each of our roles as school captain our own.鈥�
Although, he didn鈥檛 always see himself as School Captain and he was very surprised when he got the offer of the top job. Patrick鈥檚 first preference on his leadership application was Leaver鈥檚 Fund Prefect and, having only been at the school for a short time, he wasn鈥檛 sure if he would get a role at all. 鈥淚 was really surprised when I was chosen, I thought I knew who it was going to be, and it wasn鈥檛 me,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen I got a phone call one night and I just knew.鈥� It was a moment in time, but one that has become quite defining for his final year of high school. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know why, but I remember that moment when Mr Torriero called me so vividly.鈥�
After attending St Brendan鈥檚 Primary School Patrick then completed the first few years of his high school education at Notre Dame College. He moved to GVGS in 2016 halfway through Year 9 and immediately enjoyed the extracurricular activities that were on offer. 鈥淚t was challenging, but I really loved it鈥 got to know heaps of people that I otherwise probably wouldn鈥檛 have,鈥� Patrick says of the Year 10 Bogong High Plains camp. 鈥淚 learnt a lot about my own abilities, I look back on it and it was so much fun; the first time I ever saw snow was during that Year 10 camp on my birthday.鈥�
During his final year of schooling, Patrick has narrowed down his options for 2020 and is confident that he will either undertake a Bachelor of Commerce or a Bachelor of Arts at Melbourne University. With VCE subjects of legal studies, accounting, maths methods, further maths, PE and English he sees a career involving economics or business in his future with accounting his favourite school subject to date. 鈥淚 really enjoy it, it鈥檚 a lot of logic and I like looking back on the work that I鈥檝e finished and see that I鈥檝e accomplished that,鈥� Patrick says of his VCE accounting classes. 鈥淚t has made careers options much easier to decide on.鈥�
Currently working part-time at Officeworks, Patrick intends to work hard over the summer to earn money before making the big move to Melbourne early next year. Although Patrick has lived in Shepparton his whole life, he is looking forward to moving down to Melbourne and intends on living at University College in Parkville. With football and cricket taking a backseat during Year 12, Patrick is keen to participate again in team sports once high school is finished. 鈥淓very college sport I can get involved in I鈥檒l be putting my hand up for.鈥�
When asked if he could sum up his school captain experience in one word, Patrick believes 鈥渞ewarding鈥� encapsulates the experience well. 鈥淚 learnt a lot about my own leadership style during this year and it鈥檚 been really cool to be able to put that into use,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y confidence has gone through the roof because I used to get quite nervous doing public speaking, but I鈥檝e had to do so much of it this year that now it doesn鈥檛 bother me at all.鈥� As for the most powerful moments during his time as School Captain, Patrick reflects on how his position has provided him with a platform to connect with the other students – particularly the younger year levels – in ways he never considered in previous years. 鈥淚鈥檝e learnt more about the impact I can have on other people as well,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he younger students look up to you a lot, they see you as a role model – it鈥檚 been a very eye-opening experience.鈥�
Patrick speaks very highly of his School Captain partner, Olivia Bolton, as well as the rest of the wider senior student leadership team at the school. 鈥淥livia has been fantastic, we collaborate really well with our ideas,鈥� he says. 鈥淓veryone has contributed massively in making this year a success.鈥� When asked what advice he would give to the GVGS school captains of 2020, his response is clear and concise. 鈥淕et involved in everything and take it head-on, if you commit yourself to it you鈥檒l have no issues.鈥�