“We must do all that we can to give our children the best in education and social upbringing – for while they are the youth of today, they shall be the leaders of tomorrow,” John F. Kennedy. 

St Catherine’s “leaders of tomorrow” were announced this week. It gave me great pleasure on Thursday to congratulate Ava Colosimo and Flora Du as our 2023 School Co-Captains. The girls will be well supported by a Student Executive composing of Jemima Wilcox, Freya Cantwell, Diya Kayick and Lucia Tabbagh. 

St Catherine’s has always regarded service and responsibility as integral elements of girls’ education. It is important that every girl experiences some form of leadership whilst at School and is prepared for responsibilities. To this end, leadership skills are nurtured in every girl, commencing with their Year 7 Beyond Boundaries experiences. This development continues across the years and is formalised through our Leadership Diploma offered in Years 9 and 10. 

The Diploma is a unique qualification at St Catherine’s. It offers students the opportunity to strengthen the School community and 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 our Leadership Diploma. The journey provides students with a strong insight, not only into School and the wider community, but also themselves through the personal reflection required for the Diploma. Students must 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 in Year 11. 

The process of leadership selection is intentionally lengthy and thorough. It requires a written application, submission of a video and a brief speech delivered to the student body. This week, the shortlisted candidates were asked to convey in their Assembly speech a ‘Signature Moment at St Catherine’s School.’  

Each speech was uniquely crafted and delivered. They represented the broad range of experiences and skill sets that make up our next group of student leaders. There were humorous references to ghosts in the Boarding House, inspiring memories of performing an Indian dance demonstration for the class, surviving a Duke of Edinburgh Award Camp, and the powerful symbolism of the Blue Ribbon and the value of failure. All girls completely embodied SheWhoDares and we look forward to seeing their leadership in action when they assume their new roles in Term 4.  

Gala Concert 

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all students and staff involved in our Gala Concert held on Tuesday of this week. It was a joy to return to the Melbourne Recital Centre and to be part of what was visibly an exciting performance opportunity for all our musicians. The Barbreck girls were beaming on stage, with their enthusiasm to perform alongside their big St Catherine’s sisters in the Massed Choir inspiring and beautifully visible. 

Congratulations to our Head of Music, Mr Nick Grunden for his coordination of such a large event. Months of preparation, music selection, planning and rehearsals culminated in a highly polished and creative evening. It was indeed a team effort and the sheer magnitude of equipment on and off the stage provided only a snippet of what was really occurring.  

In addition to the brilliance of each performance, I enjoyed watching the skill and expertise of our staff in their conductor roles. Congratulations to Mrs Lisa Cook, in particular, the Jorgensen Orchestra playing Lord of the Dance as the final piece of the night. It was simply stunning.  

Our Choral Program, involving Barbreck girls through to our Senior students, is going from strength to strength, through the work of newly appointed Head of Choral, Ms Juliana Kay. The Jazz, Percussion and Concert Bands also provided great energy and vibrancy throughout the night and the girls clearly enjoyed the selection of music and opportunity to be on stage. 

We also celebrated the long-standing contributions to our Music Program made by our departing Year 12 musicians this year. Charlotte Myer and Sarah Pratt have enjoyed many years performing as a duet, and they were once again fabulous last night. Charlotte Aston, a student at St Catherine’s since she was three years old was spectacular and Catherine Chen is such a gifted pianist, it is hard to imagine we will no longer be mesmerised by her sheer talent.  

Other highly committed students that I have enjoyed seeing on stage over many years, and again last night include Eloise Rudge, Megan Chang, Emma Froomes, Olivia (Rosie) Bogdan, Angela Yu, Ciara Jenkins, Wing Man (Cecilia) Lau, Mary Kellis, Scarlett Davis, and Val Plastow, who all deserve our significant praise for their commitment, contribution, and leadership of Music this year. 

The Gala Concert is a significant event in our School calendar and contributes enormously to the character development and confidence of each student involved. For months, students quietly participate in individual music lessons or after school rehearsals, often requiring a level of academic care and juggling of many pressing commitments at School. The Gala Concert was the opportunity for these girls to shine! 

To view and download high resolution images from the Gala Concert, please click here.