International Women’s Day, recognised annually on 8 March is a time for us to acknowledge the inspirational women in our lives who motivate us to be the best versions of ourselves. Worldwide, it is a time to celebrate women’s achievements and how far we’ve come to achieving gender equality. While there is still some way to go, universally, it is a day to think about a world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination and one where difference is valued and celebrated.
As an all-girls school, we value and celebrate difference and individuality and demonstrate school pride in the way we support and inspire one another. On Wednesday this pride and support was displayed in the vast array of outfits worn by the students in honour of the inspirational women in their lives. Health professionals, service women, book, TV and movie characters, young Australians, scientists, artists, singers, sports stars, sisters, mothers, aunts, grandmothers and friends and more were all represented. I loved spending time with the Year 5 class on Wednesday to hear the reason they chose the woman they did, who inspired them.
Rockhampton Girls Grammar School decided to embrace equity, not through a peer vote on who was best dressed and most inspirational woman in each class to enjoy a special lunch, but instead through baskets of donated sanitary, toiletry and stationary products for the Rockhampton Women’s Shelter and Health Centre. Thank you to the students and families who have been donating goods over the past weeks, there were so many items! These products will be distributed to the women in Central Queensland experiencing hardship or homelessness and are greatly appreciated.
In the spirit of International Women’s Day, and what it stands for, I encourage the Girls Grammar community to think about the greatest human need and influencer- Connection; interesting that it’s one of the three values we often refer to in ‘Clever, Confident, Connected.’ Every day we influence the lives of one another through the way we engage with, interact, speak to (or about) each other. I encouraged students, our leaders of tomorrow, to reflect on the way they connect with one another, urging them to use their strength to create a school culture where all young women are valued and respected, to celebrate one another and champion their fellow sisters.
Kara Krehlik
Principal