Meet the New Head House Captains!

Ever seen a house captain and thought they seem terrifying and unapproachable? As a new academic year begins, the mantle of leadership and legacy of our school’s four houses has yet again been passed down to a new group of students. We see our house captains at every single school event, leading their houses with high energy and pride. This year, I had the privilege of interviewing the head house captains of Nightingale, Upsdell, Rowell and Crozier to understand their goals for the year. Let’s dive in to understand what they are all truly like!

Momoka Kobayashi and Arav Jain (Nightingale)

For Momoka and Arav, house spirit is about family, and the creation of a community where everyone can cheer for one another and support others to step out of their comfort zones. 

Their main goal for the year is to ensure every single Nightingale feels seen. "We don't just want the top talents to be heard," Momoka said, "We want every talent to be valued equally." Momoka and Arav both want the community to experience the same joy they have felt during their time at KGV, embodying that warmth and familial feeling through interhouse events. 

They are most excited for whole-school events like Sports Day and the Swimming Gala because they believe this is where all year levels come together as one team. To tackle the challenge of motivating quieter students, Momoka aims to lead by example and create a sense of comfort, while Arav wants to connect with everyone on a personal level to show that it’s okay to fail, and what really matters is to put yourself out there. 

When their term ends, Momoka wants to be remembered as an approachable older sister, while Arav wants everyone to believe in themselves. And as a wildcard question - if they were songs, Momoka is Don’t Stop Believing by Journey, "because I'm not going to stop believing in Nightingale and all of you guys", and Arav is We’re All in This Together from High School Musical “because we’re all in this together”.

Ryan Smith and Chesney Yim (Rowell)

For Ryan Smith and Chesney Yim of Rowell, house spirit is more than just competition. "It’s about belonging, unity, and shared growth," they said, "It’s the collective pride and encouragement that bond Rowellians together, where every individual feels valued and empowered to contribute."

Their goal for the year is to help Rowellians to step out of their comfort zones. Ryan wants to show everyone that dedication and resilience are just as important as winning. 

And what IH events are they most excited to lead this year? Chesney is particularly excited for Interhouse Music (IHM), given her extensive background in singing and as Music Captain. Ryan, on the other hand, has more passion towards the athletic side and is looking forward to leading Basketball, Touch Rugby, and Sports Day. 

As it is across all houses, Chesney and Ryan recognise that maintaining high engagement in IH events across all years is a challenge. To tackle this, they aim to celebrate all small successes and give fellow Rowellians a voice to shape future events. And that’s true for every Rowellian, even those who aren’t the loudest or sportiest. "Everyone has their own speciality," they say, "Helping them see how their contributions make a difference is key."

Chesney hopes to leave behind a sense of trust and belonging, where everyone feels they have a place in Rowell, while Ryan hopes every member feels proud of what they built collectively. And once again - if they were a song, what would they be? Chesney would be Eté 90 by Therapie Taxi as it “perfectly captures the fun, carefree energy of unity” in Rowell, while Ryan is Miracle Maker by Dom Dolla as it “has an energetic and pulsating rhythm and beat” like Rowellians. 

Justin Wong and Maya Ma (Crozier)

For Justin Wong and Maya Ma of Crozier, their key focus is on participation and breaking down barriers. To them, house spirit is all about "building a community of people who are passionate about the same thing." 

Their goal this year is to be seen by Croziers as friends, not figures of authority. "We want to be seen as friendly and approachable," Justin said. Maya hopes to build a community where everyone feels comfortable trying out new things and stepping out of their comfort zones, scary as it may seem. Inspired by seeing students work together in IH events, they want to be role models who lead with kindness and compassion.

Like the other houses, they are looking forward to creating that high-energy house spirit in the Swim Gala and Sports Day. Maya loves these events because they push her to step out of her comfort zone and do activities purely out of house spirit. A major challenge they face is the drop in participation in Years 10 and 11, and they plan to tackle this by working to remove the stigma of "embarrassment” -- where students feel worried about messing up in front of the watching crowd -- encouraging older students to put themselves out there just as much as the younger years do. 

Maya wants to be a pillar of support, especially for younger years new to KGV, and to help them feel okay no matter what. Meanwhile, Justin wants to be a "big brother" figure, someone caring that people can look up to and talk to freely without constraints. When asked about their alter-egos song-wise, Maya surprised us with SexyBack by Justin Timberlake, while Justin chose Passionfruit by Drake.

Katie Chen and Kavya Patel (Upsdell)

For Katie and Kavya of Upsdell, house spirit is about the bonds formed along the way. They believe house spirit is "feeling like you truly belong to a little family inside the big school." Their goal is clear: to reclaim the House Cup and regain their victory by restoring their broken seven-year winning streak. But beyond the trophy, they want a more unified house. 

When it comes to events they’re excited to lead, Katie is excited for EOMD, while Kavya is looking forward to the much-loved Sports Day.

Their biggest challenge this year is the same one all houses face - maintaining engagement without social media, and only Google Classroom. 

Katie wants to remind everyone that they are important, including those who are less sporty and shy. "The effort that we put in and the relationships that we build out of our experiences will always be more important than our points," she insisted. Kavya plans to take a personal approach, reaching out to learn what quieter students enjoy, whether that’s helping with organisation or simply supporting on the sidelines.

When their term ends, Katie wants to leave behind a supportive house with camaraderie and for people to remember her for "really caring for the individual members and Upsdell as a collective." As for Kavya, he says, "After last year’s loss, I hope people look back and say I helped rebuild our pride, made sure quieter students felt included and heard." 

And behold, the much-awaited wildcard song question. Katie chose "Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + the Machine because of its lively nature and emphasis on staying optimistic. Kavya, on the other hand, selected "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac. "It starts slow (like our house after last year's loss) then builds tension... before exploding into unbreakable unity," he explained. "And the chain will keep us together."

So, if you ever see your house captains around school, don’t be shy to say hi (they’re actually pretty chill)! They’re here to make everyone feel included and seen - and that includes you. Here’s to an amazing year ahead, with our houses in safe hands!