From excelling on the soccer field to leading her peers as School Captain, Cleo Gavagna embraced every opportunity to grow and inspire. Balancing sport, music and academics, she found clarity in challenges and joy in community.
What were some of the highlights from your time at St Andrew’s Cathedral School?
I thoroughly enjoyed Year 10 camp—I went on the New Zealand bike camp. It was a real escape from the day-to-day routine and allowed me to gather some clarity, thrive in nature and strengthen bonds with my fellow bike riders.
My sporting highlights were making the Firsts Soccer Team in Year 7, winning ISA Premiers for Football in 2022 and making CIS in Athletics. I also loved walking into Wind Symphony and being welcomed with Mr McBride’s joyful and extroverted personality, trying to make the 7.30am Tuesday morning start that little bit more enjoyable for all of us.
What was the best part about going to the School for you?
I was educated with a rich and vibrant diversity of students coming from all different backgrounds, schools and suburbs.
In a strong, supportive and connected community I developed a greater awareness and understanding of the world, learning how to accept and acknowledge difference.
You were School Captain. Did being a leader develop your character? In what ways?
Being a leader helped me build my communication skills and shaped me into a more all-rounded person. It gave me an extremely valuable opportunity for personal growth. I learnt to become more open-minded. I also learnt how to account for different viewpoints and how to bring different ideas together so that we were still connected as a team and community.
You were involved in a wide range of activities, particularly in Sport and Music. How did you achieve balance?
I achieved balance in my life by writing a weekly schedule to visually direct how I aspired to spend my time. But I believe co-curriculars are equally as important in creating balance as it gives you that change of scenery, a break from study and motivation, to organise your time sufficiently. They also build skills socially, physically and spiritually that can be used effectively after you leave school.
What do you hope to do next?
This is a very tough question… I don’t really know. I enjoy Sport, Health and Biology, so I am moving towards Medicine or Veterinary Science. Obviously, I would love to go as far as my football takes me too – you know the Matilda’s could definitely be on that bucket list in the future… but that’s a bit of a stretch!
