The School has always regarded service and responsibility integral elements of a girl’s education. It is important that every girl experiences some form of leadership whilst at School and is prepared for responsibilities as they emerge in life, when they are sought or offered. To this end, leadership skills are nurtured in every girl, commencing in the Senior School with their Year 7 Beyond Boundaries Camp experiences, opportunities to participate in the Student Representative Council and commencing this year, the Barbreck Ambassador Program, in Year 5 and 6 which is founded in developing leadership skills. This development continues across the years and is formalised through the Leadership Diploma offered in Years 9 (Light Blue) and Year 10 and 11 (Dark Blue).

The Diploma is a unique qualification to St Catherine’s and offers students the opportunity to strengthen the School community and to refine their own leadership skills. The Leadership Diploma incorporates all components of the Years 9 and 10 curriculum and recognises students’ involvement in and achievement from their academic and Co-curricular programs. It drives the girls to be organised, proactive, altruistic, insightful and empathetic, with the opportunity to make a tangible difference to their School and local community.

Encouraging students to step outside their comfort zones and become involved in new and different activities inside and outside the School is a major objective of the Leadership Diploma. The journey provides students with a strong insight, not only in School and the wider community, but also themselves through the personal reflection required for the Diploma. It is a requirement for students to successfully complete a list of criteria which includes developing positive relationships, involvement in mentoring programs, Community Service and environment programs, performance and public speaking, Outdoor Education and being a positive role model. Students who complete the Diploma are then eligible for leadership selection for roles such as School Captain, House Captain and the many Co-curricular Captaincy roles.

Currently, Year 10 student Mietta Passon is completing her Dark Blue Leadership Diploma and as part of her service element is running the Big Freeze as her fundraising project for Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Mietta is, indeed, passionate about the need to support research to help find a cure in the future for MND. In the coming weeks, Mietta will foster some joy into our School lunchtimes with her campaign culminating in a lunchtime Big Freeze and the opportunity to handball AFL footballs to trigger the dunking of Senior students and some brave Staff into icy cold water. Mietta has raised to date over $4000 with her overall goal being $6000.

For more information, please read Mietta’s fundraising page.

Recently, two Year 11 students also shared their service activities undertaken for achieving their Dark Blue Leadership Diploma at our School Assembly.

Year 11 student, Angela Yu, is generously leading a Book Drive to help Chum Creek Primary School to restock their library. This primary school, located in Chum Creek, was an area hit hard by the Black Saturday bushfires, and is still facing the long-lasting impacts. Many people needed shelter during the aftermath of the fires, so the school became an unofficial community centre where people could stay while they rebuilt and found their feet again.

Short on space, the library was used to store donations for the local community. This resulted in the books falling into disuse as the room continued to be partially used for storage. The school accessed the local library’s mobile book truck until it was discontinued, and now use a small weekly visiting library van shared with other small schools, but it is definitely not the same as having your own library. Angela reminded the students at Assembly how reading is integral to the growth of every child and implored the St Catherine’s students to ensure these little children do not miss out on the beauty of books! With the assistance of our Library, St Catherine’s book plates will be added to each book dedicated to the school. Angela welcomes any donations of children’s picture or chapter books.

Eloise Rudge, also in Year 11, has selected a service opportunity close to the heart of many families by raising awareness and goods for The Lost Dogs’ Home, in North Melbourne. Through her personalised approach with The Lost Dogs’ Home, Eloise has elected to support the home by requesting donations of pet goods, such as kitty litter, dog toys, blankets and pet food.

The Lost Dogs’ Home has also suggested that small toys make great gifts for the fearful animals. With Eloise’s creative mind at work, she is requesting an ample supply of tennis balls or old t-shirts to make dog-toys during her lunchtime to then gift to the shelter.

Eloise shared in her presentation at Assembly, that the mission of The Lost Dogs’ Home is inspiring its care for many lost and unwanted dogs and cats, with a focus on enhancing the responsible ownership of these animals in the community. From 2019 to 2020:

• 16,507 animals passed through their care
• 92% of dogs were reunited and rehomed
• 1,982 animals were in their Foster Program

The Leadership Diploma offers great opportunity for girls to ‘find their voice’ in areas that they are passionate about and provides recognition for activities they choose to pursue. Good luck Mietta, Angela and Eloise and we look forward to recognising the service pursuits of other students this year.