Ariel Mezzacappa Took the Lead as Youth Premier - Now She's Taking on Uni

From a Grade 4 classroom to the chambers of Victorian Parliament, Melton-local Ariel Mezzacappa’s leadership journey is a testament to what’s possible when young people are empowered to speak up. Now, the 2024 YMCA Youth Premier is stepping into university life with the same passion for advocacy and change.

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May 21, 2025

Ariel Mezzacappa still remembers the first time she put her hand up in class and truly felt heard; she was in Grade 4 - young, enthusiastic and just beginning to realise that speaking up could mean something.

“I think I was always the loud one, the bossy one in kindergarten,” she laughs.

“But this moment in Grade 4, being listened to and going for an opportunity, that stuck with me.”

Now studying arts at the University of Melbourne, with plans to pursue law, Ariel’s journey from Melton Secondary College to YMCA-level youth representation is the result of years of advocacy, leadership and a deep connection to her community.

“Melton's community connection is really strong. No matter where I go, I’ll know so many people there and there's always someone to talk to,” she says.

“I've lived in Melton basically my whole life, for as long as I can remember."

"We support each other. We’ve got a big, connected community, and because of that, it’s easier to find opportunities, whether it’s a leadership program or something new to try.”

Ariel says growing up in a community like this led Ariel to jump at as many opportunities as she could, including Junior and Senior School Captaincy at Melton Secondary, the Victorian Student Representative Council, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, Melton’s Youth Advisory Committee, the City of Melton Young Committees and the KPMG Women's Leadership Program.

2024 YMCA Youth Premier, Ariel Mezzacappa and Youth Parliamentarians in the Parliament of Victoria's Legislative Assembly.

“Being a part of all these different types of leadership programs, especially as School Captain and a member of SRC, really showed me how important it is to represent other students and work together,” she says.

“I loved every moment of it.”

Ariel’s passion for leadership comes from a drive to ensure equal access to education.

“I care a lot about education and equality and access to resources,” she says.

“We have so much diversity in Melton, but many students don’t have access to what they need because of so many things like teacher shortages or school funding, or simply not knowing what help is out there.”

“You see students with ambition and potential, and sometimes you see them lose confidence because they haven’t had the right support. They feel like they can’t do anything.”

She knows from experience how valuable that support can be.

“If I didn’t get tutoring and access to counselling, I wouldn’t have done nearly as well as I did in Year 12. But not every student knows what’s available or how to access it.”

It was that same passion for equity and student voice that led her to YMCA Youth Parliament last year – a program run by YMCA Youth Services that gives young people a platform to be heard at the highest levels of the Victorian Government in a mock Parliament setting.

Open to participants aged 16 to 25, the program gives young people a chance to sit in the chambers of the Victorian Parliament to debate and propose solutions on issues that matter to them most, from education reform to mental health and housing.

Rather than joining as part of a school team, Ariel signed up independently – a move that felt daunting and unfamiliar at first.

The program involves camps at Lake Dewar Lodge in Myrniong where Youth Parliamentarians and program mentors build connections, participate in leadership workshops and work on their mock bills that will be delivered during the official Youth Parliament sitting week.

Ariel remembers how nervous she felt.

“When I got to the camp, I felt a bit out of place. Everyone seemed more confident, and I was kind of hiding myself a bit,” she says.

“But I started to relax and make friends; connecting with others and sharing experiences helped me feel like I belonged.”

To Ariel’s surprise, her ability to connect with her peers landed her a nomination to run for Youth Premier and deliver a speech explaining why she should be elected.

“I was so nervous to do the speech,” she says.

“As I was pacing back and forth before my speech, they said, ‘Ariel, it’s your turn.’ I remember I stopped in the hallway and thought, how am I going to do this?”

“And then I told myself, I’m just going to do it. You can do this.”

Her speech about her leadership experiences and passion for access to education struck a chord with the crowd.

“You're not allowed to clap as it shows bias to one nominee over the other, but people were clicking their fingers,” she says.

“I could see them clicking their fingers as I spoke and I realised they were showing their support for me. That made me feel like, okay, you’ve got this, keep going.”

When it came down to the final vote, Ariel was elected 2024 YMCA Youth Premier.

Ariel at the entrance of Parliament of Victoria.

“I was shocked. I really didn’t expect it. That speech and being elected was probably the biggest moment of my life.”

“When I took on the role and started making my speeches during the official Youth Parliament sitting week, I got to show everyone my leadership skills and talk about issues that mattered to everyone in the chamber. The experience made me feel really happy, really empowered.”

That experience also shaped how she defines leadership.

“Leadership for me is about teamwork and helping each other achieve our goals. You can’t do everything yourself, it’s about creating space for everyone to contribute,” she says.

“I love seeing people work together. Where I find leadership most interesting is in the collaborative stuff – being in a room with students and asking, what do we want to do right now? How can we make it happen?”

As she prepares for what’s next, Ariel is stepping into her new chapter of university life with the same focus and drive.

“I was really scared that I’d go to Melbourne and have no friends. Leaving the familiarity of Melton is a bit intimidating,” she admitted.

But she’s already finding her feet.

“I’ve met people who feel the same, and the good thing is, uni has so many events where you can meet people.”

Ariel expressed her excitement to pursue law and learn more about philosophy.

“They help explain how systems work and how they can be changed, it goes hand-in-hand with my leadership passions.”

She’s also staying true to what brought her here in the first place.

“I want to keep advocating for equality, for education, and for young people. Being in spaces where I can collaborate and share ideas is so important to me.”

Although her leadership journey started in school, it’s her role as an older sister that continues to inspire her.

“I have siblings and I want to create a better future for them.”

“I’m happy to be the oldest because I can take a lot of my experiences and tell them about it," she says.

"My sister just started high school. I can coach her through what to expect and help her get there.”

Above all, Ariel’s leadership philosophy remains centred on empathy.

“I don’t see leaders being above people, everyone is equal. The most important thing is to have empathy, you can't connect with people without empathy, especially as a leader.”

To other young people in Melton, she offers this advice:

“Opportunities don’t really fall into your hand. Your school might give you something, but you have to go out and actively seek it,” she says.

“Seize every opportunity that comes your way, especially for things you're passionate about."

"Even if you’re not sure about it, you don’t know the experiences you might get or the amazing people you might meet if you don’t try.”

Ariel in the Youth Premier's seat in the Legislative Assembly.
Cathy is a passionate storyteller from Good News Melton, using writing to inspire change, amplify voices, and explore themes of diversity, mental health and community resilience.

Ariel Mezzacappa still remembers the first time she put her hand up in class and truly felt heard; she was in Grade 4 - young, enthusiastic and just beginning to realise that speaking up could mean something.

“I think I was always the loud one, the bossy one in kindergarten,” she laughs.

“But this moment in Grade 4, being listened to and going for an opportunity, that stuck with me.”

Now studying arts at the University of Melbourne, with plans to pursue law, Ariel’s journey from Melton Secondary College to YMCA-level youth representation is the result of years of advocacy, leadership and a deep connection to her community.

“Melton's community connection is really strong. No matter where I go, I’ll know so many people there and there's always someone to talk to,” she says.

“I've lived in Melton basically my whole life, for as long as I can remember."

"We support each other. We’ve got a big, connected community, and because of that, it’s easier to find opportunities, whether it’s a leadership program or something new to try.”

Ariel says growing up in a community like this led Ariel to jump at as many opportunities as she could, including Junior and Senior School Captaincy at Melton Secondary, the Victorian Student Representative Council, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition, Melton’s Youth Advisory Committee, the City of Melton Young Committees and the KPMG Women's Leadership Program.

Cathy is a passionate storyteller from Good News Melton, using writing to inspire change, amplify voices, and explore themes of diversity, mental health and community resilience.

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