Leadership all in the genes | Warwick News | Local News in Warwick

All in the family: Sophie Grayson and Andrew Ryan are the 2010 St Mary's School captains, following in the footsteps of their parents, Darren Grayson and Leanne Ryan, who were also school captains.

Warwick Daily News

FOR the Ryan and Grayson families, leadership is surely an extra genetic quality included in their make-up.

In 1988 Leanne Ryan was the school captain at St Mary’s Primary School in Warwick and in 1986 Darren Grayson was the school captain at Killarney State School.

In 2010 Mrs Ryan’s son Andrew and Mr Grayson’s daughter Sophie will be the new St Mary’s school captains.

Mrs Ryan insisted there was no special formula; however Andrew jumped in and jokingly suggested perhaps leadership qualities ran in the Ryan and Grayson genes.

“I think Andrew has always been a responsible person... it is just natural that he ended up school captain,” Mrs Ryan said.

Last week Sophie and Andrew, both 12, were elected the captains after a long process.

They first had to be nominated into a pool of 20 by their fellow Year 6 classmates, which was eventually narrowed down to five boys and five girls.

This final field of 10 pupils then had to deliver a speech to the school outlining why they should be the school captains.

The speeches centred on their personal lives and how they possessed certain leadership qualities, including integrity, respect, good manners, a positive attitude, non-judgmental and a sense of humour.

Andrew and Sophie did admit the speeches were very nerve-wracking.

“I just outlined why they should vote for me. I think I’m a good person and I am very kind and respectful,” Andrew said.

Sophie said she had a number of points written down on some palm cards which she read to her fellow classmates and she believed one of her best traits was that she was very conscientious.

The other children who made the top 10 were Joe Willett, Sam McLennan, Sam Gordon, Riley Williamson, Jordan-Lee Ryan, Tiela Morrison, Zoe Bowerman and Britnee Wallace.

The new captains will have the duties of representing the school at functions as well as handing out any awards at the school assembly.