Col’s Chat – Locals through my Lens – Leonard Cavallaro
Col’s Chat –
Locals through my Lens
Leonard Cavallaro
In his book, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King wrote, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
For Leonard Cavallaro, a student at Kelvin Grove State College, those boxes are well and truly ticked. As a child he read around 300 books a year and now gets up early every day to write for at least an hour.
Proudly referring to himself as a Harry Potter child, Leonard’s reading and writing accelerated from there to a point where he started writing his own novel. He describes Jesse Fletcher and the Silver Flute as ‘middle-grade fiction’, but he’s not happy with the way younger readers are often underestimated.
“There’s a belief that things should be kept simple, but it doesn’t have to be done in a childish way, but rather an interesting, age-appropriate way. My novel has witty characters, intrigue and even some politics that reflect real world power struggles in a way that is often underestimated.”
If writing were all Leonard were about, we would have chatted for another hour just about literary influences, but there’s much more to him than that, and it starts with one inspirational teacher. “I had an amazing teacher, Ms Malloy, who really drove the idea of debating. I absolutely loved it.
Last year I trialled for the Queensland State team and, out of about 300 people who applied, I made the top 12. Inspired by this, I began adjudicating debates and coaching younger students, before a parent asked me if I could coach their son privately.”
It seems a big jump from getting to grips with the debating concept to teaching, so how did Leonard approach it? “I looked at what I would have benefited from by way of advice when I started out. It shouldn’t be a parent or school driven thing. It’s not only to challenge the things you see, such as AI and fake news, but also the things that you have absorbed personally.
Debating has the edge, because it forces you to adapt, confront your own biases and not be stuck in your own beliefs. It’s the pathway to being cool, entertaining and funny.”
Leonard has also just launched, Castles of Logic, a debate tutoring company that’s levelling the playing field for students who don’t have access to those elite debating powerhouses. “I have won some writing awards, served in the Queensland Youth Parliament, and championed local causes. With Castles of Logic, I am seeking to prove that with the right skills and confidence, any young person can find their voice and use it powerfully.”
Leonard’s is a compelling local story about youth entrepreneurship, educational equity, and the power of debate to transform lives.
To find out more, visit Castles of Logic website:
Author and photographer: Colin Bushell / Colin Bushell Photography
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