Every year, Term 3 provides an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the academic areas of our School, namely Humanities and Science Weeks scheduled over this fortnight 

These academic celebrations coincide with the Senior School Subject Selection process. This process is the first of many steps for our students in understanding who they are, their strengths, capabilities and where this might lead.  

During the selection process, we encourage our girls to identify their academic strengths and what they enjoy studying at School to help with their decision-making. Whilst parents and teachers can provide useful advice, teenagers need to discover things about themselves that we will not necessarily know. Esteemed author, speaker, and advisor to governments on education, Sir Ken Robinson, once reminded students to ‘create their own life’ suggesting ‘you don’t get your CV with your Birth Certificate.’ 

Humanities Week in the Senior School saw the students explore a range of activities

In celebration of Humanities Week in the Senior School, our Humanities Faculty planned a week-long series of events designed to showcase the studies of History, Geography, Politics and Commerce subjects.  

Commencing on Monday with our School Assembly, St Catherine’s Old Girl, Ms Cecilia Riebl (’97) provided a thought-provoking Address to launch Humanities Week. In her role as the Senior Policy Advisor for the ‘Trust for Nature,’ Cecilia leads a range of projects aimed at improving conservation outcomes on private land.  

Following her initial Law degree, Cecilia went on to study at the University of Cambridge to complete her Master in Land Economy and Environmental Law. Cecilia’s work extends across several VCE Humanities subjects – Legal Studies, Economics, Geography and Business Studies. For our students in the audience her career insights enabled them to consider the workplace relevance of the subjects they select. 

Inviting Old Girls to return to speak at School assemblies offers invaluable benefits to both students and our School community. By providing students with real-life success stories and relatable role models, we inspire them to pursue their dreams and ambitions. Sharing experiences and offering insights into various career paths fosters career exploration with an authentic voice of influence that we wish for younger teenage girls.  

Our Barbreck Years 5 and 6 students also participated this week in the second of a series of Career Days planned for 2023. St Catherine’s Old Girl, Dr Hilary Grover (‘10), impressed the Barbreck girls with her tenacity, perseverance, and drive to achieve her dream to be a AFLW Club Doctor, and to one day work at the MCG. Dr Grover is also the 2022 St Catherine’s Old Girls’ Association’s (SCOGA) Fellowship recipient. 

Dr Hilary Grover (’10) is a passionate advocate for advancements in female health and athletic performance

Dr Grover utilised the SCOGA Fellowship to attend global conferences centred around girls and women in sport. She is a passionate advocate for advancements in female health and athletic performance, sharing the following:

“How can we expect our women and girls to achieve greatness if we have not addressed the fundamental physiology and health concerns that keep them healthy and well? The basis of goodness is investing in the foundation of people, the very basics of women’s health still require significant research so women can thrive day to day and achieve greatness. Being able to empower women and girls at all levels of activity with the most up-to-date knowledge about their own health and give them agency over their own biology is extremely powerful,” shared Dr Grover. 

The presence of our Alumnae in our students’ learning reinforces our School’s sense of unity. Additionally, our Old Girl speakers bring a sense of nostalgia and pride, reminding current students of our School’s legacy and impact over generations.  

Such interactions bridge the gap between past and present, encouraging students to maintain a lifelong connection to their school. Indeed, the benefit extends both ways. Cecilia embraced the opportunity to return to St Catherine’s, and I was humbled to receive her thank you note as she reflected on the experience: 

“It was a genuine pleasure to be back and witness the girls in full flight!! 

Despite all the years that have gone by, and the many physical changes that the School has undergone, there was a pleasant familiarity to it: a gentleness and sense of mutual support among the girls, a culture of rigour and curiosity, but most importantly a sense of fun and not taking yourself too seriously! 

I was hugely impressed (now I can see what all the hype is about!) and so wanted to pass on what a pleasure it was to be back and what renewed pride and gratitude it gave me for my time at the School.” 

Ms Cecelia Riebl (‘97)