“…it re-emphasised to me why I love this School. And displayed the beautiful and unique qualities of each blue ribbon girl, and the collective strength and grit of our blue ribbon community.

…but what I realised is that we all came out on top. In each of our unique ways, we collectively cultivated an incredible strength and connection in 2020 that enabled us to not only make it through to the other side, but to come out as a stronger, more resilient and grateful collective.

…it displayed in such a raw form what this School stands for and the happiness and the gratitude and the support that drives this community.

 This moment made me feel so proud to be a small part of this incredible collective, and so grateful to have been able to grow up here, surrounded by and belonging with all of you.”

“Looking back now, I would say my signature moment would be something that was part of the start of it all. It was one of the first days of Year 7 and honestly at that time I was so intimidated by everything that I didn’t dare to speak out much.

I was sitting in Orchestra, looking around nervously at all the senior girls, when Adrianna Chai (’19), a girl who graduated a couple of years ago, turned to me and said, “hi”… I realised I could talk to my desk partner! And that someone as intimidating as a Year 11 (she wasn’t really) could have things in common with me!

That’s it. That’s my signature moment. The moment that sparked many of the conversations I would have with teachers and new friends. A small ‘hi’ can change everything, just like how any one of us, what other people would call, ‘just girls’, could change the world.”

“My signature moment was being part of the squad that won HOGS [Head of the Schoolgirls Regatta] for the first time in our School history. What you might not know is what occurred a couple of weeks before, and it is perhaps this that helped me understand what kind of leader I hope to be.

Picture this – race day, Yarra River, crew geared up for what was to be our seventh consecutive win. As Cox, my responsibility is to steer the crew – I went too wide around the bend and it was all over. I had just crashed an extraordinarily expensive boat in front of a line of St Catherine’s parents and teachers. Epic fail! I didn’t speak for two days. I had let down my crew, my School, myself…

Our thread of gold and blue unites us, as diverse as we are, across Year groups and Houses, and can help you when times are tough. This belief is what got me back in the boat and across the finish line – knowing that our team was rowing its race for you, for the years before us, for each other.”

“I’ve always been someone who struggled to sit still. Over the past eighteen months it’s become more and more apparent to me that I always have to be doing something or going somewhere, and as far back as I can remember there’s only been one time in my life where that hasn’t been the case.

On that [Heyington to Highlands] trip I learnt how to appreciate where I was, what I was doing and why it was important to me and others. Though I don’t think I actually realised it at the time, I figured out who it was I wanted to be and what I wanted to do for other people…

I know it might be hard for most of you to relate to the Fiji trip, because over the past couple of years, the world has dealt you a pretty dodgy set of cards. But that has only reiterated to me the sheer female power of this School. Perhaps now more than ever, I am reminded of the teachings of independence, resilience, empowerment, empathy, curiosity and, arguably most significantly, gratitude.

And so my postcard ends with one simple sentence: “remember to give back what you get. Love, Ciara.”

“I had never realised the power of this pale blue piece of nylon until one assembly when a photo of a group of St Catherine’s girls was presented, tying a blue ribbon to the pony tail of the Fearless Girl statue on Broad Street in New York City. My discernment for the blue ribbon was transformed in an instant to pride and amazement that this small girls’ school in Melbourne is, even for a minute, a part of the world’s most powerful financial precinct. That blue ribbon made this Fearless Girl – that embodies the essence of opportunity and confidence – one of us. We were both wearing the same ribbon.

To me, seeing that blue ribbon on the Fearless Girl was a symbol of strength that St Catherine’s has instilled in me from the very first day I entered the Heyington Gates. To me it is now synonymous with the power that allows us to infiltrate the world with our passion for pursuing our dreams and making an impact. The power that allows us to dare to dream.

Despite its flimsy nature and its very inexpensive price, this 30cm piece of pale blue nylon is now definitely a valued possession, a daily reminder to me of the core values of the School I am so lucky to attend; integrity, gratitude, curiosity, perseverance and empathy.”

“Duke of Ed camp, earlier this year, was definitely one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had. Not only was it physically challenging, but it was mentally challenging as well. This was perhaps most accurately summed up when our group was deciding whether or not to climb Mount Bogong, which just happens to be the highest mountain in Victoria, after having already hiked and camped in the snow for six days.

This is when my significant moment occurred. Everyone else was so supportive of me and also of each other. Of course, you would expect them to be, but this was especially significant because Duke of Ed is an experience that drains a lot of people, and can easily cause conflict, but it seemed as though the opposite happened for us. We ended up watching the sunrise from the highest peak in Victoria, which was truly an incredible experience.

While the view, and the sense of accomplishment of reaching the top of Mount Bogong was an incredible one, the feeling of community and support that I had experienced whilst climbing the mountain, and the day before, was more notable. This was my significant moment at St Catherine’s. Although everyone is always friendly and welcoming, I had never witnessed that level of support and comradery, and it made me feel truly lucky to be attending a school that provides me, and every single student, with an experience like this. It made me feel grateful for the community that I have. It made me feel as though I was in my second home.”