On Wednesday 6 August, Albany Senior High School (ASHS) proudly hosted the 2025 Young Leaders Day – a dynamic and inspiring event that brought together over 45 Year 12 students from high schools across the North Shore.
Designed for students interested in stepping into formal leadership roles next year and beyond, the day was entirely organised by the ASHS Head Students. Their vision: to create a space for emerging leaders to connect, grow, and be challenged.
Students were treated to a powerful line-up of keynote speakers, including:
- Craig Dyason, ASHS Careers and Pathways Leader, who kicked things off with a values-based workshop encouraging students to reflect on what matters most to them as leaders;
- Rob Woodley, General Manager of The Blues, who followed with an energising session about purpose and motivation;
- Subash Chandar K, an award-winning mathematics teacher, YouTuber, and 2025 NZ Local Hero of the Year, whose ‘Balance Equations’ workshop focused on time management, hauora (wellbeing), and goal setting for students – rather than just equations; and
- Morgan Meredith, Head of Digital Business at Westpac, who closed out the day sharing insights through her workshop titled ‘What Makes a Leader’?.
Throughout the day, there was a strong focus on whakawhanaungatanga and the power of connection. Students engaged in open kōrero, collaborative challenges, and skill-building activities – including a memorable spaghetti tower workshop designed to test their communication under pressure.
The event was more than a day of speakers and workshops – it was a platform for youth to see the impact they can have, now and into the future. Charlotte Dugmore, ASHS Head Student and one of the event organisers, said, “We hope the students have been able to interact and connect with one another while learning valuable skills to take into formal leadership roles.”
Liv Taylor, an MC of the day and Deputy Head Student at Rangitoto College, added,
“We hope that the Year 12s from this workshop have been inspired by the keynote speakers, and are looking forward to leading in different environments in the following years.”
Students like Chaska, a Year 12 attendee from ASHS, highlighted the team-building activities as a standout moment: “The highlight of my day was engaging in the spaghetti tower challenge – getting to work together in groups, and collaborating for a result.”
The day ended with new connections formed, ideas sparked, and a shared sense of purpose. Young Leaders Day showed that the next generation of trailblazers is already stepping up – and they’re ready to lead with heart and intention.
A huge shout-out to our incredible ASHS Head Students for designing and running such a professional, impactful event. Their leadership, dedication, and vision made the day a true success.
