On the final day of Term 1, while most students in Queensland schools were counting down the minutes to holidays, the QAHS Lecture Theatre was packed for a different kind of holiday send-off; one that didn't involve bells, but something far more valuable: perspective.
Enter Josh Farr. Former engineer turned leadership coach, and founder of Campus Consultancy, Josh has spoken to thousands of students across the country, and now, finally, to ours. He didn't arrive with flashy slides or a rehearsed script. Instead, he brought a message that landed with the kind of quiet force you don't forget by the time the holidays end.
This year, Thrive Sessions have been cleverly woven into Global Learners lessons to ensure every student has a seat at the table - and in this case, a front-row view of what real-world leadership looks like when it trades promises for authenticity. Josh's message was striking in its simplicity: show up, step up, and start where you are.
The presentation was equal parts audience interaction, practical wisdom, and subtle challenge. It was just the sort of grounded advice that hits harder than it should, because it's exactly what most of us needed to hear. Leadership, he highlighted, isn't reserved for those with badges or titles - it's a daily choice, sometimes unglamorous, but always worth it.
The effect was a noticeable shift in the room. Students left not just with messages, but with something heavier to carry: possibility. The audience understood that they didn't need to wait for someone to hand them permission to start making a difference. And if Thrive's mission is to inspire students to create positive change not only for themselves but the world around them, then the Term 1 Thrive Session offered a powerful reminder of just how possible that really is.
To Josh Farr - thank you for your time, your truth, and your willingness to remind students that big dreams are within reach, as long as they're backed by action.
Thoughts from some of our Year 12 Leaders:
It was such a privilege to learn from Josh Farr, the founder and lead facilitator of Campus Consultancy. In his presentation, Josh opened with a deceptively simple idea: to change your behaviour is to have learnt something. Seemingly self-explanatory, I understood its deeper importance when he asked the room: “How do you imagine yourself 10 years from now?"
At first, many of us found it difficult to picture our future selves. But once Josh encouraged us to set aside practical and financial limitations, my own vision became much clearer: to travel the world and be wealthy. Surprisingly, our whims were not dismissed but instead, encouraged. He framed our dreams as motivating forces that are possible if we're willing to continuously apply effort. Josh reminded us that having problems isn't a flaw, but a sign that we have goals. Leaders, he explained, are not people without problems, but people who choose their problems and face them head-on.
This mindset shift led me to see obstacles not as roadblocks, but as signs of ambition and personal drive. Hence, his strategy of “starting smaller" by breaking big goals down into manageable steps especially resonated with me as a senior student where the year ahead can feel very overwhelming. Josh's own journey, from engineer to backpacker to entrepreneur, was a powerful reminder that it is okay to pivot and pursue passions outside your initial path.
Above all, Josh's belief that learning is behavioural change stuck with me. I hope to carry his message forward and, like him, take proactive steps toward my goals.
Sophie Hirabe, Year 12 GL representative
Personally, I found the Thrive Session with Josh Farr a very inspiring way to end the term, providing me with a motivating outlook as we headed into the school holidays. The Q-and-A session at the end of Josh's talk was especially insightful, as he gave us a clear example of how we can break down our own life goals into more manageable actions; one of which included reaching out to others. Here, I realised that it doesn't take much to make progress in achieving our goals, and a form of 'action' can be as simple as asking someone more experienced for advice on how to tackle a challenge or 'problem' we may be facing. I think that this is an extremely valuable lesson to consider, especially as we embark on our final years of schooling, as the pressures and workload can sometimes feel very overwhelming – however, as Josh reminded us, it's important to realise that overcoming these challenges can come from very simple acts like communicating and asking others for help.
Therefore, whether it be academic goals like achieving a perfect IB score, or personal goals including travelling and working in a dream job, Josh's presentation was a timely reminder for all of us, inspiring us to break down these goals and work towards smaller actions that accumulate and benefit us in the long run.
Arisa Furutani, Year 12 Aqua House Leader
For me, the Thrive Session with our guest speaker, Josh Farr, was a very thought-provoking experience. He spoke so articulately about personal growth and made me realise that learning isn't just about gaining new knowledge, but putting that knowledge into action and making real changes to how we approach life.
Josh's insights on leadership were similarly perspective shaping, as he talked about how leadership skills are based on how we, as individuals, identify and tackle problems to move forward. He gave examples of how we can break down perceived obstacles in our lives and take action to make positive change. This made me think about leadership in a different light- in a way that seems more accessible and practical.
Overall, the session was an opportunity that I'm grateful for as I left feeling motivated to put more of my skills into action.
Olivia De Silva, Year 12 Global Learners representative
Marnie Chetter
Teacher of English & Student Leadership Coordinator