Marrickville High School’s Class of 2026 is standing out in style thanks to a bold new jersey design created by Year 11 student Kay Lanzky, 17.
Kay, a proud young Aboriginal woman who lives with her granddad in Woolloomooloo, was chosen to design the senior jersey for next year’s graduating class. Known at school for her drawing and graphic design skills, she was excited to take on the challenge.
“My school asked me to design the Year 12 jersey, so I made a design on my phone and gave it to them,” Kay said. “I worked with a First Nations teacher to gather different ideas and used an app called Ibis Paint.”
Her original concept featured two snakes, symbolising the cycle of life and the students’ journey into a new chapter. The snakes also inspired the snake-like numerals that appear on the back of the final jersey.
Although the principal decided to remove the snakes because they looked too similar to the football team Inter Milan FC, Kay’s design still shines through.
The finished jersey includes spirals, circles, dots and lines in the school colours — dark blue, yellow and white. The symbols represent connection, growth and unity.
“The strongest feedback I got was everyone wished the snakes could’ve stayed,” Kay said. “But I couldn’t go against the principal.”
Kay’s artistic touch has made the jersey one of the most memorable in the school’s history. “It still feels special,” she said. “It’s about who we are as a class — we’re all connected and moving forward together.”
Kay plans to continue her art studies and will sit her HSC exams in 2026. She hopes to pursue a future in design after school.
