The Grammar Report Issue 107

THE

REPORT GRAMMAR

THE MAGAZINE OF THE CANBERRA GIRLS GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

cggs.act.edu.au

A poem from the 1938 Burrawi, author unknown.

The Grammar Report

Issue 107, 2022

Published by Canberra Girls Grammar School Melbourne Avenue Deakin ACT 2600 Australia Telephone: 02 6202 6400 Email: communityrelations@cggs.act.edu.au

Editorial: Siena Barry Design and Layout: Tank Pty Ltd & FAD Studios Cover: Emily Service Captain Sera George (Year 12) at the International Women’s Day assembly. Photo by David Beach.

From the Acting Principal

JULIE JORRITSMA

— Julie Jorritsma, Acting Principal

"Our graduates go on to do amazing things and actively serve the community in the pursuit of improving the world for others."

It is a pleasure to present this new edition of the Grammar Report to our community. As a fellow Grammarian, I know the pattern for reading it — turn immediately to the births, deaths, marriages and engagements section, then settle in to read more about the incredible women who form our alumni, and catch up with the latest news from the School.

Since joining CGGS in 2020 as a staff member, I have made a commitment to ensure alumnae return to our School events, and one of my favourites is the annual International Women’s Day assembly. This year was no exception. The women who return to participate in the panel to be interviewed by members of the Senior Council are always inspirational in their stories and their advice for our girls. When I speak to students in the days or

weeks following the assembly, they frequently reference the panel and advice provided as a highlight. It was even more incredible this year to be joined by their Excellencies, Governor General David Hurley and his wife, Mrs Linda Hurley, along with members of UN Women Australia to celebrate this significant day for our school as educators of young girls and young women, and the advancement of women globally.

In speaking with a colleague recently, she noted how impressed she was at the women who graduate from CGGS and the lives they build for themselves. And it is true, we are part of an incredible community. Our graduates go on to do amazing things and actively serve the community in the pursuit of improving the world for others. The alumnae who return for Anzac Day

who have devoted their lives to service in the Defence Forces, the women who have dedicated their lives to science or medicine, the women who have committed themselves to telling the stories of others through the media, and all of the women who have gone before us into the workforce where equality was not (and is not still) a given. There are CGGS graduates in every field, in every sector and at every level throughout Australia and the world. I hope that you enjoy reading the stories of some of them (us) in this edition of the Grammar Report, and that we may soon hear from those who have their own stories to share. May 2022 be our year of reconnection!

Julie Jorritsma (1996) Acting Principal

Farewell to Julie Jorritsma

Since joining Canberra Girls Grammar School as a student, Julie Jorritsma has been a steadfast member of our School community with an unmistakable passion for girls’ education and the advancement of girls and young women. Now, after almost three years as an executive leader at the School, we wish Julie all the best as she departs CGGS and relocates to be closer to family.

Julie has worked extensively in boys’, girls’ and co-ed education in Australia and overseas. As Deputy Principal (Head of Senior School) and Acting Principal, Julie has supported the School through a significant period of growth and change and has established a profound spirit of pride and celebration in the School. A champion of our young people’s achievements and potential, Julie’s excellent rapport with students has made her a much‑beloved figure in the school and the broader community.

We thank Julie for her dedication to the School over the years and look forward to her continued involvement in the community through the Grammarians’ Association.

Introducing CGGS’s

New Principal

Canberra Girls Grammar School (CGGS) has been delighted to host our incoming Principal, Mrs Terrie Jones on several occasions since the announcement of her appointment earlier this year.

Terrie has recently been fondly farewelled as the Head of St Michael’s Grammar School, a leading K–12 Anglican school in Melbourne, and will commence in her role as the 16th Principal at CGGS on 10 October 2022.

Terrie previously held the positions of Deputy Principal, Head of Learning Innovation and previous to that, Head of Teaching and Learning at Ravenswood School for Girls in Sydney, and Director of Service Learning at Abbotsleigh. She commenced her teaching career in the NSW Government School sector before beginning her career in independent girls’ schools with roles at Methodist Ladies’ College in Melbourne and Pymble Ladies’ College (Sydney).

Terrie has enjoyed meeting some of our students and staff during her visits to CGGS in Terms 2 and 3 and has been impressed by the inclusive culture of the School and the articulate confidence of the students she has had the opportunity to meet.

More recently, Terrie spent a day immersed in the ELC and Junior School, attended our Term 3 Open Day and was thrilled to be invited by the Year 12 Leaders to attend House Music on 23 September 2022.

“I look forward to working with the staff to continue to support and enable students to thrive socially, emotionally and academically, while discovering their strengths and interests in school and beyond.”

Mrs Sue Hart, Chair of the Board, said Terrie’s vast experience in single-sex girls' schools and in coeducational contexts will greatly benefit the girls, boys and young women at Canberra Girls Grammar.

“Canberra Girls Grammar School is a well-respected educational institution, nationally and globally and it is my privilege to have the opportunity to lead such a strong, resilient school community at this stage in its history,” she said.

“Terrie is a strong advocate for the voices of young people and is committed to educational experiences that empower and enrich their learning so that they realise their potential and lead full and meaningful lives,” Sue said. “The Board is confident that Terrie’s vision, leadership and strong track record at a range of schools will guide Canberra Girls Grammar into the next stage of growth and development.”

Having recently commenced in her role at CGGS, Terrie has settled into her new home close to the School and is looking forward to meeting as many of our students, parents and alumni as possible during Term 4, and into 2023.

Grammarians Striving for Sustainability

Changing Climates

Australians have always had a close relationship with nature. We take pride in our unique native animals and stunning landscapes, especially here in the bush capital. After years of bushfires, hailstorms, drought and flood, people are more aware than ever before of the power of the natural world — and how rapidly that world is changing.

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The impact of human society on the environment is a growing concern for many. While many of us do our part at home by reducing waste or walking to work, others have made it their life’s work to safeguard our planet’s natural wonders.

In this issue of the Grammar Report, we talk to three remarkable women working for a sustainable tomorrow.

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Georgia receiving the Roden Cutler NSW John Monash Scholarship from Governor General David Hurley.

“Be confident...Be aware of the challenges, stand firm on your rights, expect respect, and support your colleagues – particularly other women.”

— Dr Penny Olsen

Dr Penny Olsen and her colleague measuring the wing of the sole remaining Norfolk Island owl in 1986.

From her classroom days as a notvery-engaged student, Dr Penny Olsen (1965) has become an internationallyrecognised ornithologist with dozens of books, research articles, conservation projects and awards to her name.

At a time when science wasn’t considered an important part of girls’ schooling, Penny’s curiosity about the natural world was groundbreaking. Despite prevailing attitudes about “pretty girls who’ll just get married after school”, she went straight from finishing Year 12 to studying Biology at the Australian National University.

Penny graduated as one of a handful of women nationally to receive a Bachelor of Science with Honours, and soon became the only female research scientist in the CSIRO’s Division of Wildlife Research.

“I was a novelty, but that was alright,” she said. “It was a good time to be a biologist — the conservation movement was stirring and there was much that we didn’t know about Australia’s unique fauna.”

Of the many animals that call Australia home, the ones that sparked Penny’s keenest interest were birds of prey. Though she was officially researching small mammals, her CSIRO work quietly

expanded to include “Chief Doesn’t Know” side projects following her passion for ornithology.

These projects included research into the effects of pesticides on reproduction in birds of prey and, by the late 1970s, the establishment of a 16-hectare rural block where Penny and her then-husband cared for some 350 injured and orphaned raptors over 20 years.

“My kids grew up thinking it was normal to have eagles and falcons in the backyard and a bucketful of rats and mice in the laundry,” she said, remembering research trips to raptor eyries with her daughter carried in a sling across her chest.

Between caring for her family and running a raptor shelter, Penny continued to strike up an impressive academic career. She earned her PhD from ANU in 1992 with a thesis following her original CSIRO research on the link between pesticides and thinner eggshells in raptors; not long after that she received an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship, and remains an Honorary Professor at the ANU’s Research School of Biology today.

Her interest in writing didn’t end with scientific papers, however. Penny also found a knack for popular writing in

magazines and, eventually, her own books. Her debut solo publication Australian Birds of Prey won the Whitley Award for Best Popular Zoological Publication — the first of many awards from the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales.

“I write to speak for what cannot speak,” she said in her acceptance speech for the Whitley Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. “By sharing our understanding of animals, writers are demonstrating our respect for their lives, and this compassion is central to a writer’s humanity.”

It’s easy to see Penny’s own compassion in her work throughout the decades. The joy she finds in discovery shines through in her writing, much of which deals not only with the birds she loves but the dedicated people like her who study, protect and paint them.

Penny has also been an active and influential voice for conservationism in a variety of ways. Her stewardship of Birds Australia’s Wingspan magazine transformed a small and underfunded editorial into a significant publication that helped boost Birds Australia’s role in advocacy and policymaking.

She has been involved in the Norfolk Island Morepork Recovery Program since

Photo below left: Penny with one of her publications in 2013.

Photo below: Penny with one of the first chicks born in the Recovery Program in 1988.

the mid-1980s, when just a single owl remained, and considers her guidance in the restoration of the owl population there one of her greatest achievements.

“I just feel things have worsened environmentally,” she said, “so I feel more of a responsibility to contribute.”

Though Penny has seen many changes in her field over the years, some things are still unfortunately familiar.

“Non-scientists assume I’m Mrs So-andSo, and they’re surprised to find out I have a PhD. People still tend to assume women are not as qualified as men, and I know I

haven’t been taken seriously on occasions. Science is still not a level playing field.”

However, the future looks optimistic. Once Penny was one of only two CGGS students who had to walk down the road to join a boys’ class in order to learn Physics; now it’s studied by some 15% of Year 11 and 12 students at the School each year.

“Be confident,” Penny said to those students. “Be aware of the challenges, stand firm on your rights, expect respect, and support your colleagues — particularly other women.”

A few decades later, another Grammarian followed a similar conservation path, but with another species. Growing up among reef sharks and seabirds on Lord Howe Island, Dr Chloe Buiting (Breakwell, 2008) couldn’t imagine not spending her life in the natural world she’d fallen so in love with.

“From a young age I knew I was going to be someone who protected plants and wildlife,” she said. “My time at CGGS cemented for me that this path was to become a wildlife vet, and opened my eyes to all the possibilities available to me as a passionate young woman determined to make a difference.”

One of her earliest experiences in the field came right after Year 12, when she spent a year following park rangers, veterinarians and conservationists in Kenya. Here she witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts of wildlife crime and poaching on local wildlife.

“It was a confronting and challenging experience, but further strengthened my resolve to do what I could to protect these animals.”

These days, Chloe is best known as Instagram’s Jungle Doctor, working with endangered species around the world and educating people on the importance of conservation. Her field work has taken her far and wide, from treating amputee elephants in Thailand

As a rower and a boarder at CGGS, Chloe remembers the daily lessons of teamwork, commitment and community – things that have served her well in her collaborations with people (and animals) from around the world.

Photo above: Part of Chloe’s diverse work involves fitting prosthetic limbs for elephants.

and moving wild giraffes to safety in the Savannah to rescuing koalas and kangaroos on the frontline of Australia’s devastating 2020 bushfires.

She is also active in a number of global education and conservation programs, including Flora & Fauna International, the Earthshot Prize and Loop Abroad, which hosts field study programs for high school and university students.

For Chloe, her work in advocacy and raising awareness is just as important as treating the animals themselves.

“Conservation is not just for the nature or animal lovers but something that’s pertinent to us all,” she said. “Our ecosystem is like a web in which we are all connected.”

Part of Chloe’s work with Fauna & Flora International is identifying areas of rich biodiversity such as rainforests, wetlands, mangroves and jungles, and finding ways to protect them from degradation.

“This is important, not only because these areas act as biodiversity havens but

also because they play a vital role in the global carbon cycle,” she explained.

By absorbing man-made emissions from the atmosphere, these “natural carbon sinks” provide a significant brake on runaway climate change.

Though we may not all get to patch up the world by nursing wounded elephants back to health, Chloe says there is plenty to be done by everyday Australians to care for the environment.

“On an individual level, you can become an advocate. Inform yourself and inform others, be an informed shopper, reduce your consumption and waste… To turn things around will take many small actions on the part of many, and we are capable of amazing things when we come together.”

As the world opens up to the post-COVID normal, Chloe is looking forward to returning to hands-on fieldwork and face-to-face connection with like-minded people in all four corners of the globe. She and her husband, a fellow wildlife vet, are also looking forward to many new adventures as a family with their new baby.

In the meantime, she has high hopes for the next generation discovering the difference they can make in the world.

“Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t do something. After all, the future is female, and you are more than capable of achieving anything you set your mind to!”

Sustainability, however, is not only about protecting the flora and fauna of the planet. Most importantly has to do with how humans survive in an ever-changing climate, like another Grammarian reminds us.

1. Chloe Buiting.

2. Chloe Buiting.

3. Dr Georgia Behrens

“Find the area in which your passion, purpose and ‘superpower’ overlap, and pursue something there.

Dr Georgia Behrens’ (2011) path to medical wards began, surprisingly, with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Literature and French. She was an intern writer with Doctors Without Borders interviewing healthcare workers returning from humanitarian missions when she began thinking, “I want to do this, not just write about it.”

It was an unexpected calling for her. “I finished school wanting to be an English literature academic, or French poetry translator, or journalist — something that involved as much reading and writing as possible,” she said. “I’m ashamed to say I was a sulky brat any time I had to do Maths and Science at school, and then I suddenly found myself having to relearn it all!”

Like Chloe, Georgia found a second surprising passion for conservationism after a holiday in Kenya’s extraordinary national parks among animals that were as breathtaking as they were heartbreaking.

“By complete coincidence, I was reading Naomi Klein’s seminal climate change treatise This Changes Everything in our tent at night,” she remembered. “Reading that book, and seeing its truth played out in front of me on a daily basis, really did change everything for me.”

She returned to Australia determined to find solutions to the problems she had discovered. Throughout her medical studies Georgia pursued a range of opportunities in climate advocacy, including representing the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations at the United Nations climate negotiations and coordinating policy initiatives for the Medical Journal of Australia-Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change.

For Georgia, the connection between medicine and environmental sustainability is vital.

“Our health as human beings ultimately depends on the health of our shared planet, and a lot of the solutions to

climate change can also make us healthier. Protecting human health and protecting the health of our planet are twin objectives that can be achieved using the exact same measures — the best kind of win-win scenario.”

As the 2022 Roden Cutler NSW Monash Scholar, Georgia will be moving to the UK to undertake postgraduate studies in public and environmental health with an eye on transforming Australia’s healthcare system.

“It needs to be more sustainable, resilient and equitable to deal with the massive health challenges heading our way this century,” she said. “My healthcare colleagues and I are very aware that we need to ‘get our own house in order’ while we’re advocating for our society to become more sustainable.”

Many of the changes in the healthcare system adapting to COVID have made promising steps towards sustainability, with 14 countries already committing to net-zero healthcare systems by 2050.

It’s a goal Georgia hopes to see Australia join soon, and advocates for, as a member of the Board of Doctors for the Environment Australia. A key part of her work there is in helping local communities understand and speak up about the health impacts of climate change.

“As a doctor, I’m lucky to be part of a profession that many people trust and look to for advice,” she said. “It’s hugely inspiring to empower people to ask their elected representatives to protect the bedrocks of human health: clear air, clean water and a liveable climate.”

As a former Debating and Public Speaking Captain, Georgia is no stranger to finding power in her words to affect change. Throughout her time at CGGS, she remembers the teachers and peers who challenged her to become the best version of herself and showed her what was possible.

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“On the day that Julia Gillard became Prime Minister, Mr Patrick Marman took our class for a spontaneous excursion up the road to Parliament House. He wanted us to be in the building as Australia’s first female PM stood up in the House of Representatives for the first time.”

The lasting memory of that day is a feeling of power and possibility as a 16-year-old girl watching history unfold in her own backyard. “Mr Marman’s gesture felt like a real vote of confidence in women’s leadership, which was a strong thread throughout my CGGS education.”

This legacy of social awareness and global responsibility remains strong at Canberra Girls Grammar School. Every year students in the Environment Group lead campaigns to increase environmental awareness among their peers through education and action, and new initiatives including solar panels have made the campus itself more sustainable. You can follow Penny’s work through her books, Chloe’s through her website at jungledoctor.org and Georgia’s through dea.org.au

Reflection and Celebration International Women’s Day 2022

International Women’s Day is a day of reflection and celebration, and a day that Canberra Girls Grammar School observes with style. Festivities began with the official UN Women’s International Women’s Day Canberra lunch, attended by a group of staff and students led by Acting Principal Ms Julie Jorritsma, and continued with another staff and student group attending a breakfast at Government House. Head of Junior School Mr Peter McDonald also attended a Breast Cancer Research breakfast, where CGGS was recognised for its strong support of the Mother’s Day Classic event.

Photo above: Holly Irvine speaking to students.

On 8 March, purple t-shirts and ribbons were in abundance at the Senior School Hall where students, teachers and honoured guests, including his Excellency Governor General David Hurley and his wife, Mrs Linda Hurley, gathered for a special student-led assembly.

Guided by UN Women Australia’s theme of Changing climates: Equality today for a sustainable tomorrow, School Captain Holly Irvine acknowledged the ongoing struggle for women’s equality and encouraged students to think, speak and act for themselves so they could enact

Photo right centre: Bella Mun speaking to Laura Cox at the panel.

Photo right below: Honoured guests of the CGGS 2022 IWD Assembly.

change on the world around them. Other members of the Senior Council presented profiles on influential women throughout history, including Ash Barty, Grace Tame, Ella Fitzgerald and Samara Weaving (2009).

Bella Mun (Debating Captain) and Sera George (SRC Chairperson) led a panel discussion with alumnae Laura Cox (2010) and Asha Clementi (2017) about their triumphs and challenges as women striving for equality. For both of them, the first and most important step was getting a foot in the door and

a place at the table — which, for Asha, was as simple as asking if she could sit in on the UN Security Council.

Though Laura and Asha have been on very different journeys since leaving school, their efforts to change the world both began with chasing their passions and creating “good chaos” by defying what others’ expectations were of them. By amplifying the voices and fostering the talents of women around the world, Asha and Laura have built strong foundations for everyday girls and women to achieve incredible new things.

Laura Cox graduated from CGGS in 2010. Following a Bachelor of Business Administration at Macquarie University, Laura worked and studied in the United States, Switzerland, the UK and Tanzania. While working for a not-for-profit in Tanzania, Laura found her passion for community development, which led her to study a Master of Science in International Development at the University of Edinburgh. During her studies, Laura returned to Tanzania as a visiting researcher in local understandings of female empowerment and how this impacted gender programming in sport-for-development organisations. Laura has now returned to Canberra where she works for the Department of Education, Skills and Employment. Her current work focuses on higher education access programs for regional and remote Australians.

Asha Clementi is an ANU student with a passion for equality, diversity and leadership. In 2017 she co-founded the Girls’ Leadership Network, a leadership initiative for young women in high school and university. At 18, she represented the National Council of Women Australia at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. In 2018, Asha created the Girls Run the World program to connect young women with the diplomatic community. Since then, Girls Run the World has placed over 100 participants in diplomatic missions, creating unique opportunities for young women and empowering them to explore careers in international affairs. Asha was a finalist for the 2022 ACT Young Australian of the Year award and has just been named the 2022 ACT Young Woman of the Year.

An IB World School

Introducing the MYP

Canberra Girls Grammar School has long been a faithful reflection of our multicultural world by welcoming students from diplomatic families, from overseas, rural and regional communities or from diverse backgrounds. Now, CGGS is the first and only school in the ACT to offer a truly international education with the full continnum of International Baccalaureate (IB) Programmes across the curriculum.

Photo above: Language learning is a core tenet of the IB Programme.

First introduced at CGGS in 2011, the IB is a suite of educational programs that aim to develop young people into curious, compassionate and globallyminded citizens. The IB is practised and recognised around the world, and caters for students at every stage of their education journey.

In just a few short years, the huge success of the Primary Years Programme (PYP) in the Early Learning Centre and Junior

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School has earned CGGS recognition as a top IB school in the Asia-Pacific region. For Year 11 and 12 students, the Diploma Programme offers an alternative course of study to the existing ACT secondary course.

With the recent introduction of the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in 2022, CGGS now offers a continuous IB education from Reception to Year 12.As a dynamic framework through which the content and skills of the Australian Curriculum are delivered, the MYP encourages students to apply their learning to the real world through cross-disciplinary learning, collaboration and deep inquiry into meaningful, universal topics.

Beginning in Year 6, the MYP gives students the opportunity to move between the Junior and Senior campuses for classes and programs that provide

new learning experiences to prepare them for the next stages of the MYP.

“The cross-campus learning ensures a seamless transition between Years 6 and 7,” Mrs Alex Galland, Director of Learning and Innovation at the Junior School, said. “In Year 6, the students begin a new program in a familiar environment, and then in Year 7 they move to a new campus with a familiar program.”

From trying new things to taking on more responsibility, the first Year 6 students of the MYP are taking to the new program with characteristic enthusiasm. Whether by taking centre stage with performance skills learned through Drama and Dance to considering new perspectives through a range of beginners’ language courses, these students are tackling some of the biggest questions posed by the Programme: how do we engage with

our learning, and how does that help us engage with the world?

The Programme’s emphasis on social, cultural and global awareness, alongside academic studies is designed to foster compassionate and principled citizens of the world. Students study a rounded curriculum of arts, humanities and sciences throughout the Senior School, and are encouraged to think creatively and critically about how they can direct their own education.

For example, Year 11 and 12 students in the Diploma Programme also undertake a community service unit and finish their studies with a self-guided research essay on a topic of their choice.

As a reflection of the School’s values of courage, integrity and inclusion, the IB is a natural fit for CGGS, as we celebrate 96 years of outstanding education.

1. IB students presenting the results of their research project.

Year 6 Latin students create language cubes at the Senior School to represent the different facets of their learning.

Year 11 IB students organised a drive to collect toys for families with disabled children as part of their Creativity, Activity and Service unit.

Values, ethics and wellbeing

Our Signature Programs

One of the core features of a CGGS education is the continuity of its programs: from the earliest days of Reception to the final exams of Year 12, students are offered a learning journey that readies them for the world. This goes for classroom learning as much as pastoral care, both of which are carefully intertwined in the School’s flourishing bespoke Signature Programs.

The Signature Programs are tailormade initiatives that work alongside the school curriculum from Year 3 to Year 12.

Founded on extensive research into children’s development and education, the Programs aim to develop students into young leaders with a strong sense of community and identity.

Commencing at the Junior School in 2017, the Signature Programs are embedded across the curriculum so that every class, assignment and excursion provides a new perspective on the core themes. For example, Year 4 students in the smART Girls program learn about the power of art through exploring their

own creativity and studying different art forms and works from around the world; Year 6 students become Girls Who Lead as much by acting as role models for their peers as by reflecting on their own values and passions.

“The Signature Programs develop all the skills our students need to flourish,” Ms Prue Sheargold, the Deputy Head of the Junior School, said. “Our girls leave Year 6 with confidence, resilience and an awareness of their strengths, ready to make the transition to the Senior School.

“The activities inside and beyond the classroom encourage our students to be proud of who they are, and to truly believe that anything is possible.”

It’s a constant refrain for students to wonder when they will use their school lessons in real life, but recent graduates of the Junior School Signature Programs are confident they have the answers.

Year 7 student Darci Cadogan-Cowper said, “Through the Programs I learned to find my voice and became more confident, independent and inquisitive.” Darci came to the Senior School after eight years in the Junior School, where the Year 5 Girls with Grit program helped her discover a passion for footy and the grit to “go for it”.

For her classmate Ava Polglase-Bulley, the biggest lesson was finding her resilience and getting back up again even when she didn’t want to; for Allegra Taubenschlag, it was facing her fears and finding the ray of sun at the end of a rainy path.

“All of the subjects throughout the years taught us things we can take out into the bigger world, but the Signature Programs gave us courage and integrity too,” Allegra said.

With the continuation of the Signature Programs through the Senior School, Allegra, Darci and Ava can look forward to more years of tailored learning opportunities to continue building their skills and knowledge. As students gain greater understanding of the world around them, the Senior School Signature Programs encourage them to harness their potential as young women prepared for anything.

“Our programs have evolved over the years as we’ve identified needs and areas for growth in our students,” Ms Caroline McCaffrie, Acting Director of Students in the Senior School, said. “Themes of resilience, self-reflection, personal growth, risk-taking and team-building are woven throughout the programs.”

From teaching Young Women with Courage in Year 7 to discovering Young Women who Aspire in Year 10, the teachers and mentors of CGGS are there for their students every step of their journey through young adulthood.

Photo left: Year 6 students consider what it means to be Girls Who Lead.

Photo below: Year 3 students explore outside as part of their HERO Program.

“Themes of resilience, self-reflection, personal growth, risk-taking and team-building are woven throughout the programs.”

New developments

Connecting with the world

Whether virtually or in person, Canberra Girls Grammar School is always buzzing with activity and success. As restrictions continue to ease and the world opens up to the “new normal”, we are excited to share some of the outstanding achievements and new developments in our community.

Class of 2021

After a turbulent year of lockdowns, postponements and cancellations, the Year 12 Class of 2021 finished on a high. The Grammarians’ Association welcomed the students to the alumni network with a Leavers’ Lunch picnic on a beautiful sunny day in the Quad. They then had a Graduation Ceremony at the Hall, followed by a dinner at the National Arboretum, generously sponsored by the Gabriel Foundation. Ashwini Sivakumar and Abigail Worswick were named Joint

Duxes of the School with an ATAR of 99.6, while Amy Huang was the top-scoring IB student with a score of 43 out of 45. We wish the Class of 2021 all the best and look forward to seeing what they achieve!

New Head of Junior School

Following the departure of Mrs Angela Whitaker, Deputy Principal (Head of Junior School) at the end of 2021, Mr Peter McDonald was appointed as Head of Junior School. Peter has been part of the Junior School since 2017, before which

he taught at Radford and in the United Kingdom. With a passion for children's education and considerable experience in the International Baccalaureate, he is very well-placed to continue the awardwinning work of the Junior School as it celebrates its half-century.

Rising Star Award

The Educator Australia has named CGGS Science teacher Mr Lachlan McGinness its Rising Star for 2022, recognising him among the best and brightest education talent in Australia.

Lachlan was nominated by his peers at CGGS for his great aptitude for encouraging, engaging and supporting students in all aspects of their learning, especially as young women interested in Science. He also teaches universitylevel physics in the Australian National University’s extension course, contributes to programs for Indigenous girls in Science, and has had work published in academic journals.

Lachlan was humbled to receive the award, and shares his appreciation for his colleagues at CGGS. “There are so many teachers at our School that work very hard for our students and deserve recognition. I am so lucky in the Science Faculty to have such a strong team of teachers who work together, going above and beyond to do what’s best for our students.”

1. The Year 12 Class of 2021.

2. Head of Junior School Peter McDonald.

3. Lachlan McGinness at work.

Founders’ Day 2022

On Saturday 30 April, CGGS hosted students from the Classes of 1952, 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012 and 2017 for the annual Founders’ Day reunion event. Bec Carpenter (2002) shared her fond memories of CGGS with guests while Grammarian and Acting Principal Ms Julie Jorritsma spoke virtually about the enduring strength of the School community. Grammarians celebrating the impressive milestones of 50, 60 and 70 years since their Year 12 graduation

were presented with commemorative badges by Acting Deputy Principal (Head of Senior School) Joanna Leaman, and Lauren Sewell, President of the Grammarians’ Association. Current students also led Grammarians on tours of the Senior School campus, full of old memories and new discoveries. We look forward to welcoming back more members of the Grammarian community at next year’s festivities.

4. Lauren Sewell (2008) with Nola Rees (1952), Jan Lowth (1952), Doreen Blake (1952) and Joanna Leaman at the Founders’ Day Reunion.

Class of 1981 Reunion

Earlier this year, the Class of 1981 also gathered for a reunion of their own. Treasurer of the Grammarians’ Association and co-organiser of the event, Lisa Wilson (1981), wrote fondly of the night:

Trying to organise a reunion during a pandemic was never going to be easy!

Despite one postponement due to the plague, right on cue the international and domestic borders reopened in time for the Class of 1981’s (rescheduled) 40-and-a-bit Year Reunion on Saturday 12 March 2022.

Thirty former classmates gathered at Ostani at the Hotel Realm in Canberra for an evening of laughter, reminiscing, food and the odd glass of bubbly (or two). It was amazing, despite over 40 years since we left Grammar, that connections remained, and we easily picked up where we left off. The consensus was that as a group we had, like any excellent vintage, aged to perfection

Links of Hope

Jenna Oerder (2021) led a fantastic initiative last year donating old and unused CGGS uniforms to people in need through the Links of Hope program. Along with fellow students Aditi Padmakumar, Trisha Saini, Sharon Chen, Anushka Ahuja, Hannah Cornelia, Yalini Sundar and Lilah Macilwain, Jenna

Gabriel Scholars

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packed bags of clothes to be shipped to communities struck by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Papua New Guinea. “It is my hope this will be the start of a long-term relationship between the young women of Canberra and those of PNG through Links of Hope,” Jenna said of the project. You can learn more about Links of Hope at linksofhopepng.com

Enterprising Women

Last year, CGGS was one of five schools in Australia invited to participate in a virtual workshop with Enterprising Girls. Senator the Hon Jane Hume joined students via Zoom to hear their pitches on how to promote COVID-19 vaccination uptake. CGGS students Jaimie Noonan (2021), Aliya

Voyles, Bella Mun and Tiffany Henson proposed a VaxiVan to bring healthcare to remote and vulnerable Australians, a clever and compassionate idea that was ultimately selected the winner.

Enterprising Women also hosted a Kickstarter Challenge in February this year for young women to pitch their business ideas to investors. Although not a part of the challenge, CGGS students Reshmi Senanayake, Sofia Atreya, Bronte Coggan and Nettie Lescinski were invited to share their ideas for Investsense, a program to educate young people about responsible financial planning. Once again, the girls impressed the audience with their eloquence and focus on community.

The Gabriel Foundation supports a number of scholarships at CGGS to support outstanding students and further women’s education. This year, after many COVID-related delays, CGGS was delighted to recognise these students’ becoming Gabriel Scholars, in an intimate ceremony at the Senior School Hall. Students and families celebrated together with certificates and badges presented by Acting Principal Julie Jorritsma, and Chair of the Foundation Mr David Holmesby to commemorate the scholars’ achievements. To learn more about how you can support the next generation of CGGS students through giving to the School, please contact advancement@cggs.act.edu.au

Alexis Au, Ziqi Gu, Rowan Harvey Martin and Matilda Ruge perform at the Scholars’ Presentation Ceremony.

Co-curricular

CGGS students continue to shine outside the classroom. After a successful year of debating in 2021, Debating and Public Speaking Captain Bella Mun leads fellow students Emily Ezaki-Swain, Muntaha Siddique and Serina Guo to represent the ACT in the 2022 ACT Debating Squad.

The dancers of CGGS have once again taken centre stage, with Hollie Teer and Izzie Becvarik both gaining leading roles in The Unravel Project by Bonnie Neate and Suzy Piani. This contemporary retelling of Romeo and Juliet will arrive onstage in July.

Year 12 students Isra Eski and Lucy Bott had the opportunity to participate in the National Youth Science Forum earlier this year. Over the course of the 12-day program, the girls heard from Nobel laureates, particle physicists and Antarctic researchers, and made valuable connections across the STEM world to continue growing their passion for science.

The Music Academy’s Jazz in the Hall and Together in Music events showcased a fantastic array of talent from musicians across our community performing in bands, orchestras, ensembles and choirs.

Sport

Sports Co-Captain Inemami Ajulo took the Athletics Carnival by storm in March with three broken records and her fourth win of the Golden Slipper race (which she has qualified for every year since 2017!). Despite a modified format, the efforts of sport and co-curricular staff meant that Junior and Senior students enjoyed fun days in the pool and on the track for their Swimming and Athletics Carnivals.

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A team of eight CGGS students competed in the Independent Girls Schools Association’s (IGSA) Swimming and Diving Championships in March. This marked the first time the School had been represented at an IGSA event in several decades, and the girls performed admirably against 26 other schools.

The next generation of football superstars is in good hands with CGGS’s new partnership with the Football Star Academy (FSA), one of Australia’s leading providers of skill-based football programs. “With the 2023 Women’s World Cup being held in Australia and our proposed FSA Girls’ US tour, the next few years will be massive for girls’ and women’s football,” says Head Coach Danny Hately. “We are excited to create a new home for girls’ football, right here at Canberra Girls Grammar School.”

You’ll also find plenty of CGGS students on the territory and national stage as they represent a range of sports at the highest level. Year 11 student Seni Faupula has been selected for the U18 Women’s Brumbies Team, and CGGS is well-represented across the Raiders’ Junior Touch Football teams. Georgia Robinson was one of only two ten-yearolds in the ACT who qualified for the NSW Age Swimming Championships.

1. The Class of 1981 at their reunion.

2. Students onstage performing at the 2022 Together in Music concert.

3. Golden Slipper racers L-R: Elisabeth Connolly, Frankie Bale, Juliana Robertson, Bronte Cooke, Siena Towndrow, Inemami Ajulo and Lucy Hincksman.

4. Year 7 and 8 students at the Football Star Academy.

Refurbishment and Renewal

Our Library’s new look

CGGS’s totally fabulous refurbished Library opened its doors to all students in Term 1 this year, returning to normal operating hours.

The remodelled Library includes movable furniture, state-of-the-art discussion rooms, self-checkout stations, and a brand-new floor plan.

One of the biggest differences between this 2022 edition of the Library and last year’s is its spacing. The Annex is

no more, replaced by flexible learning spaces, large windows for natural light, and more discussion rooms. “My favourite part of this new Library are the flexible learning spaces,” Ms Winifred Hanson, a member of the Library Refurbishment Committee, said. “They give students autonomy, along with the discussion rooms. Students can book them and hold [clubs] and have study sessions.”

Librarian Ms Caroline Docker added, “I definitely like the moveable shelves —

Photo above: Students in 1970 hard at work in the Senior School Library.

students can create their own spaces. I also like the new senior study space. It’s not cramped in the corner like it used to be.” The new senior area has taken over where the fiction section used to be, complete with brightly-coloured booths and several new charging stations.

A light wooden panelling, plant boxes and a great flood of natural light, have definitely brightened the space.

The thick greenery outside the Library has given way to terraced outside seating,

connecting the Library with the Quad. Inside the Library, there’s a range of seating areas, with booths, high chairs around tall tables and sofas. And there’s also a new staffroom for the librarians.

Aliya Voyles is a Year 12 student and founder/editor-in-chief of CGGS’s student newspaper, the Girls’ Grammar Times. This article was written with the help of her vice-captain, Himara Jayasekera-Peiris (Year 11).

Photos top: Architectural drawings and designs.

Photos middle: The new Senior School library.

Did you know?

The Senior School Library was first built in the 1970s. Before that it was located at the other end of the School, where the Jubilee Sports Centre is today.

—The Library circulates thousands of digital and print resources for students each day, including access to several national research databases.

S tudents can participate in reading and study programs with trained teacher librarians in the Junior and Senior campuses. The recently introduced Evening Study Program at the Senior School offers dedicated study time for Senior students with a full evening meal at the Boarding House included.

Celebrating our Heritage

Golden Anniversaries

50 Years of the Junior School

Despite decades of educating younger students, it was not until 1972 that a dedicated campus for Canberra Girls Grammar School students in Kindergarten to Year 6 was opened on Grey Street. Since then, the CGGS Junior School has won a 2021 Excellence Award for Primary School of the Year –Non-government from The Educator Australia, and earned 40 commendations

with zero recommendations for improvement in its 2020 International Baccalaureate review.

With 50 years of success and many more to come, Head of Junior School Mr Peter McDonald says every day at school is a celebration.

“Whether it’s in the classroom, on the ovals or representing the School at outside events, there’s a diversity of success from our students and teachers that’s an honour to acknowledge.”

Photo above: Students in the Junior School courtyard, 1972.

First drawn to CGGS by its reputation for excellence in girls’ education, Peter believes this barely scratches the surface of what makes the School great. “These kids are, without fail, the kindest, most courageous, most caring, smartest children I’ve ever met, and that reflects in their families and alumni community as well.”

With dedicated pastoral care programs, a broad range of co-curricular offerings and a world-class IB curriculum, the Junior School is a place where all students have the opportunity to be

remarkable in their own way. The School’s approach to teaching and learning as a personalised, individual journey creates a vast world of possibility for young people discovering their potential.

Looking to the future, Peter is guided by his determination to find new ways to enable Junior School students to thrive by focusing on educational excellence, wellness and wellbeing, and the student experience.

50 Years of Rowing

After 50 years since its introduction at Canberra Girls Grammar School in 1972, the rowing program has become a key part of the School’s co-curricular program. Early mornings, tough training sessions and competitive rivals have proven an exciting challenge for many young women ready to push themselves to achieve their best.

From stunning podium finishes at regional and national regattas to international scholarships, CGGS Rowing has an impressive legacy of building strong teams and determined, disciplined young women. With Year 6 and 7 students now able to participate through a new beginners course, more students can discover what they are capable of than ever before.

Eighteen years after she first began rowing with Canberra Girls Grammar as a Year 7 student, Caroline “Caz” Pijpers

(2003) returned to the School in 2016 as the new Head of Rowing. Now, she and 117 rowing students are celebrating 50 years of rowing at CGGS.

“It’s been nice to give back to CGGS and see the rowing program grow to some amazing results over the last couple of years,” said Caz, reflecting on her rowing journey with the School. “It’s also been a pleasure working with the girls individually, seeing them achieve their goals and teaching them life skills that are bigger than rowing.”

Sometimes hard-won but always rewarding, Caz says the lessons she learned as a rower have stayed with her on and off the water and she looks forward to passing them on to the next generation of CGGS rowers.

Rowing teaches

How to be resilient and patient: success doesn’t happen overnight, and consistency pays off.

You can plan and prepare as much as possible, but you might still fail on race day.

The value of teamwork. You don’t need a title to be a leader on a team, just to remember that you’re all in the same boat together.

Even hard things are worth doing. 5am is one of the best hours of the day!

“Not many people get to go to work and allow someone to become their best self,” he said. “That’s what CGGS is all about, and that’s what we’ll keep celebrating.”

CGGS Rowers on Lake Burley Griffin through the years.

Five favourite things

At the end of 2021, Father Chris Lewis joined Canberra Girls Grammar School as the new School Chaplain. Originally a Navy Chaplain, his thoughtful practice encourages us to embody faith in all aspects of our lives.

Father Chris was ordained in 2016 at St Saviour’s Cathedral in Goulburn after receiving his Bachelor of Theology from St Mark’s National Theological Centre at Charles Sturt University, just down the road from CGGS. Though born and raised in Sydney, his move to Canberra marks a return to his “home” diocese.

“There is a qualitative dimension to life in this diocese that is difficult to articulate but easy to experience,” he said of the move. “It brings a sense of belonging, and a sense of rest.”

Since arriving at CGGS, Father Chris has been struck by the School’s commitment to fostering the growth and wellbeing of its students to prepare them for lives of purpose and meaning.

“There is a sense that the School possesses a vocation to change the world for the good. In a world where so many

things seem uncertain, it gives me hope that a place like CGGS is sending strong, compassionate and educated young women out into the world to change it.”

It is a philosophy he matches with his own approach to faith. Far from some “idea among ideas” or “human phenomenon”, Father Chris considers Christianity a living thing that touches and shapes all aspects of human life, from believing to doing.

“Faith is not simply some cognitive exercise in sense-making,” he says.

Introducing Father Chris Lewis

“It is the active, transformational and communal expression of life lived in light of the Gospel.

“Every footstep, every breath, every heartbeat; our movement, our living, our being – is within God. In this sense, our faith is shared when we share our lives with others in a spirit of openness, genuine dialogue and faith in-being.”

My favourite…

…book

One simply will not do. Here are 11: 1. Th e Gospel According to St John 2. I and Thou by Martin Buber 3. Th ings Hidden Since the Foundation of the World by Rene Girard 4. Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson 5. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 6. G ilead by Marilynne Robinson 7. Th e Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 8. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte 9. Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman 10. Th e BFG by Roald Dahl 11. C atch-22 by Joseph Heller

…place

Throughout my life I have gathered spiritual “markers” here and there. Places of significance where I felt some connection with God in the world; places of encounter, where a sense of meaning has been imputed into the place or the landscape as I encounter it. There is something very Buberian in this (see

number 2 on my favourite books’ list), encountering the world and the people within it and being marked by such encounters. I have a collection of places that each have their own place in my life, ranging from high places to quiet places to busy places to places where I am completely alone. And yet, despite this grab-bag of places that I have garnered over the years, the place that means more to me than anywhere else is wherever my family is. The old adage “home is where the heart is” rings true.

…joke

From my seven-year-old daughter’s dinner-table repertoire:

Where do horses live? In the neigh-bourhood.

…liturgical season

Easter. Contrary to what the supermarkets might have you believe, the Easter season does not begin with the sales of hot-cross buns on Boxing Day. I should add, however, that I have no truck with this — I am an enthusiastic consumer of the spiced bread and the sooner they are on sale the better.

Holy Week is one where I am absorbed by the Gospel. Beginning with Palm Sunday, the movement of the week towards the Easter triduum and the Resurrection is steeped in the liturgical remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a time of deep reflection and the renewal of my ordination vows, culminating in the celebration of Easter Day and the familiar welcome of “Christ is Risen!”

It is a time of light, a time of hope. In a world where hope is often obscured, Easter is that time where we remember that the goodness of God can and does break through and shine into our lives.

…tradition

As an Anglican priest in the AngloCatholic tradition my life is littered with tradition. If there is one that I love, it is “Chalking the Lintel” (also known as “Chalking the Door”). During Epiphany tide chalk is blessed and then the lintel (the area over a doorway) is marked with the chalk. In 2022, it would look like this: 20 + C + M + B + 22. It is a blessing for the home and all who enter it. The “20” and “22” represent the year 2022; each “+” represents the cross; and CMB stands for Christus Mansionem Benedicat, or “May Christ bless this house”.

Above: Father Chris Lewis

A conversation with Emily Dean

Where are they now?

Emily Dean (2004) is an Australian film director, writer and artist currently living in Los Angeles. Her work includes features on The Lego Batman Movie and Netflix’s Love, Death and Robots, and her animated short film Forget Me Not was nominated for an Australian Academy Award in 2012. She was listed among Piaget’s Extraordinary Women in 2021 and Variety’s 10 Animators to Watch in 2019, and has featured on multiple panel and podcast discussions about creativity and diversity in the film industry. You can learn more about her work at emilydean.net

You’ve had an incredible career in the creative industry. When did you know that filmmaking and storytelling was something you wanted to pursue?

Thank you, a career in the film industry takes a long time with lots of ups and downs so even though I’ve been working for many years I only now feel like I’m hitting my stride.

I first knew I wanted to be an artist when I was six years old. I didn’t have much of an idea of what that meant; all I knew was that I liked to write, draw and use my imagination. I loved reading Tintin

comics, and made my first comic in Year 5 of Burke and Wills’ journey across Australia for a school assignment. I think that moment was the beginning of my visual storytelling journey.

Following that, I made my first film on a video camera my mum bought while on vacation. The film was a short documentary for a Year 8 science project about Australian flora and fauna. I was hooked on filmmaking after that, and since then my journey has been about how to combine my skills as an artist, my love of stories, and the medium of filmmaking. In that way, animation became a natural fit.

Incidentally, the production company I founded is called ‘Grade 8 Productions’ as an homage to my first filmmaking experience.

What are some fond memories you have of growing up in Bungendore?

I grew up just outside of Bungendore on a property called “Scribbly Gums”, named after its gumtree forest. I was fairly isolated as a kid because the only way in and out was by car and it took an almost hour to get into Canberra back then. We didn’t have much TV and no internet obviously, so all I had was the natural world around me and my imagination. During holidays I would spend hours a day drawing, sculpting, singing, swimming, and playing in the forest. Looking back on that time it was like living in a fantasy world, which is largely why I am so drawn to fantasy and science fiction stories.

What are some lessons you learned from CGGS that have stuck with you?

So much of what I experienced at CGGS formed the beginnings of what would be my career. Art classes were my favourite and I also loved English, History and Philosophy because they all related to storytelling in some way. My teachers would encourage me to show my films to the class, which was hugely important for growing my confidence and skills as well as learning what is entertaining. There’s nothing like a yawn from a classmate to make you realise your movie isn’t working!

I was very involved in co-curriculars as well, especially choirs and plays. I was in the Chapel Choirs from Years 7 to 12 and

ended up being Head Chorister, which had a huge influence on me and the role music plays in my films. Building sets and props for plays gave me skills for production design, staging and the ins and outs of running a full-scale production.

What is some advice you would give to young women chasing their passions?

I don’t know if this is advice so much as things I’ve learned and found helpful on my own journey:

(i) There is no universal “right” choice, only what is right for you . Don’t let others get into your head. Do what you want. It is your life. No one else gets to live it but you.

(ii) Know yourself, and be realistic — that means not being overly selfaggrandizing or self-critical. People who follow their passions are often called to it. Listening to your calling means putting aside your ego and letting your inner voice have the courage to come forth.

(iii) What can you do now to get started? There will always be tomorrow or someday... but that kind of thinking doesn’t move mountains, and if you have big dreams you want to achieve you will need to become someone who can move mountains.

(iv) Find support. Who are the people in your life who believe in you? Who can you talk to about your hopes, dreams and concerns, without feeling fear, judgment or criticism? Who is someone who can be your mentor into the area you want to go? It’s normal for everyone to have difficulty in making their first steps toward a career, it helps when someone has your back.

(v) Take time for yourself. We can get so distracted chasing goals that we forget to take care of our own health in mind and body. Sometimes moving forward also means stopping to rest. It may feel counterproductive, but taking a break can be the most healing and eye-opening experience. So take that gap year after graduation if you need it! But if you’re someone who likes structure and wants to keep studying, make sure you set aside time for yourself to relax too.

Your work has taken you all around the world. What are some things you get in Australia that you can’t find anywhere else?

Australia has a special place in my heart. The land is so wild and beautiful and the people are so warm and loving. There’s a camaraderie that’s hard to find elsewhere. I hope to be back there in the not too distant future!

Photo left: Writer and director Emily Dean on the set of Andromeda (2018).

Photo top: Mother and Daughter from Emily’s 2011 AACTA-nominated short film Forget Me Not

Photo above: Sky City (2019), digital illustration by Emily Dean.

From the Grammarians’ Association

The Grammarians’ Association Committee has welcomed 2022 with a return to meeting in hybrid fashion. With the help of technology our interstate committee members can contribute their thoughts and ideas.

Our key objective is to bring together former students and strengthen the ties between former students and the School. We’re currently planning events which bring our Grammarian community closer together. We were delighted to host the 10-year reunions on Founders' Day in April. It was a wonderful day and a lovely opportunity to connect and reconnect with classmates, teachers and the School.

The easing of COVID-19 restrictions has allowed us to think beyond our traditional events of Reunions and the Garden Stall. We are planning a more ambitious calendar of events which

focus on networking for personal or professional purposes and mentoring as a way to share Grammarian knowledge and expertise with current students.

Watch this space, get in touch with us at grammarians@cggs.act.edu.au and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Lauren Sewell (2008) President of the Grammarians’ Association

President Lauren Sewell (2008)

Vice-President Jane Sutherland (2008)

Secretary Clare Lindley (Sutherland, 2012)

Treasurer Lisa Wilson (1981)

Committee members

Philippa Bassili (Crowther, 2012)

Fiona Carruthers (1981)

Margaret Cornwell OAM (Archer, 1951)

Suchara Fernando (2012)

Sanchia Glaskin (Starke, 1965)

Liz Mulcahy (McPherson, 1981)

Leith Schmidt (Johnson, 1981)

Emily Sturgess (2012)

Sally Wagnon (Maidens, 1991)

To ensure you keep up to date with the Grammarians' Association, follow us on social media or get in touch at grammarians@cggs.act.edu.au

Grammarians’ Association Committee

Lauren Sewell with Lynette Crocker-Bowman (1961) at the 2021 Founders’ Day event.

Letter from a Grammarian

Cycling from Alaska to Patagonia (or somewhere in between) with a friend, Leonie Katekar (1981) got a crazy notion: what if she cycled halfway around the world? It caught her imagination and she decided then and there that she would do it. Two years later, she set off on her own for a 12,000km solo bike-packing expedition through South America. Her book about the trek, When We’re Not Afraid , is a story about being brave, stepping out and finding out how we can pursue a deeper happiness.

Celebrating the launch of her book with her CGGS peers at their 41-year reunion this year, Leonie reflected on her experiences for the Grammar Report.

I had reached a personal crossroads in life, finding myself divorced and with four children who were no longer children. A recent move across the continent from Darwin to Melbourne meant that friendships forged from 15 years up north were now 3,700km away. What is next in one’s life? Where has the real joy in life gone? What would I do if I was not afraid?

I have kept fit most of my life and been a commuter-by-bike for 10 years. But could I do 4,000m passes through the Andes? Could I manage the Patagonian winds? Could I really ride 12,000km? How can you face all of these challenges and more — alone, inexperienced, and in countries where little English is spoken?

I ventured online to discover a world of like-minded bike packers. I joined websites, followed blogs, commented on Facebook posts, started Instagram following, downloaded cycling apps, learned how to find a “wild camp” in a dust storm, participated in WhatsApp groups, made virtual friends and learned

who is who in the bike packing zoo! At 55 years old, I began learning Spanish as my first second language.

But none of this could really prepare me for my first day, when I was picked up by a friendly Guatemalan who could see that I was close to heat exhaustion. Rescatados! Rescued on my first day! I would be rescued twice more and have to hitchhike my way out of a gale. Each day started with some trepidation as what I expected to happen rarely ever did happen, and there were always unexpected “adventures” along the way.

And the loneliness and aloneness. It was something real that I had to deal with. I started off being terrified of it. I was expecting to meet other bike packers but I rarely did until much, much later in the trip. By the time I did start meeting others, I was well into discovering my own personal resilience, confidence and joy in facing my daily challenges alone. I found the joy of life again — my “mojo”. The worries that weighed so heavily on my mind and body released themselves from

my grey matter and are now gone, leaving peace of mind and freedom in my heart.

What could you achieve if you threw away your fears?

After leaving CGGS, Leonie Katekar studied medicine in Sydney and began a medical career across rural Australia. She was the project director behind the establishment of Tasmanian Rural Clinical School and, after moving to Darwin to work in remote Indigenous health, became the Northern Territory’s Chief Rural Medical Practitioner in 2011.

In 2016, Leonie moved to Melbourne and worked as a Clinical Director at Medibank Private until she set off on her bicycle in 2019. When We Are Not Afraid, the inspiring true story of her South American bike trek, is available now from Melbourne Books. You can order a signed copy from her website at leoniekatekar.com

Leonie with her bike, fondly named Gitana.

Honoured Grammarians

As part of our annual Founders’ Day celebrations, CGGS recognises Grammarians who have reached significant milestones in their relationship with the School since graduating. We bid special congratulations this year to Judith Baskin (1971) for 50 years of service to CGGS. Judith has served as a member on the Boards of both, the School and the Gabriel Foundation, and her generous donations over the years have enabled the School to pursue excellence in young women’s education. To get news about Founders’ Day Reunions and other Grammarian events, go to cggs. act.edu.au/our-community/alumni

This year, the Australia Day Honours List recognised over 1,000 Australians –including several Grammarians. In a list featuring the highest-ever percentage of women awarded the General Division of the Order of Australia, we are proud to celebrate our outstanding alumni on the national stage.

After 37 years of service, Detective Sergeant Louise Denley (1984) was awarded the Australian Police Medal for her dedication to community policing and the Australian Federal Police. Currently the Officer in Charge of Jervis Bay Police Station, Louise was also the first female police motorcyclist, first female pursuit driver, first female full-time rescue squad member and first female traffic Sergeant. She has served in United Nations peacekeeping missions and on teams investigating people smuggling, child protection and transnational crime.

Louise has maintained strong Grammarian connections over the years, coaching several sports teams and sending her own daughter and nieces through the School as well. Her inspiring career is a testimony to CGGS’s value of courage, integrity and inclusion.

Meredith Hinchliffe (1963) was also recognised as a Member in the General Division for her significant contribution to the arts. From her beginnings as a secretarial assistant with Craft ACT in the 70s, Meredith has since become a significant figure in Canberra’s arts community as a reviewer, philanthropist and tireless advocate for local talent. She has supported a range of organisations including the Canberra Sculpture Forum, Ausdance ACT and Dickson’s ANCA Studios. In 2019, Canberra Museum and Gallery celebrated her contributions with “The Art of Giving”, an exhibition featuring artworks purchased by the gallery with funds donated by Meredith.

Meredith is a role model of generosity and passion, and we look forward to seeing more of her incredible work around Canberra in the future.

1. Detective Sergeant Louise Denley

2. Katrina Marson speaking at Celebration Day.

3. Georgia Lourandos speaking at the Year 12 Graduation Ceremony.

Grammarians’ News

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Last year, the School invited Katrina Marson (2007) to speak to Senior School students at their end-of-year Celebration Day. Katrina is the Senior Prosecutor (Sexual Offences Unit) at the ACT Director of Public Prosecutions and a passionate advocate of law reform and policy as well as relationships and sexuality education. Katrina spoke to students about the value of failure and perseverance, and the different ways in which success can emerge.

Georgia Lourandos (2010) also returned to the School to speak to Year 12 students at their Graduation Ceremony. An active debater during her time at CGGS, Georgia is currently a Strategy Analyst at the Australian Renewable Energy Agency where she contributes to accelerating Australia’s path to Net Zero. In her address, Georgia shared some of the lessons she had learned since leaving CGGS, including her talents as a leader, the value of flexibility, and the importance of being kind to yourself.

Joanna Barrett (1965) and her

Peter recently drove through Central Australia via Innamincka and Coober Pedy to see Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. She remembers the beauty of the park vividly:

“Revered by humans for thousands of years, Uluru is both powerful and graceful, and packed with interest for the visitor. I was entranced by the caves at its base, one of which has been used so often that the smoke from a thousand fires had blackened its ceiling. I loved the fissures dotted over the great curving

sides of Uluru, holding secrets. Then there were the mini gorges — small billabongs with emerald green plants growing on the banks, all set against the red-brown rock behind.

“My favourite desert flower would have to be the mulla mullas, low plants that produce showy flower spikes up to 15 centimetres long densely packed with small pink, mauve or purple flowers. They have a softness all their own, which gives these beauties their common name of pussytails.”

Annabel Butler (1985) hosted her solo exhibition “Sydney Scapes” in February this year. The impact of the pandemic led her to rediscover her love of plein air painting. Finding solace and rejuvenation in nature, she focuses her practice on painting outdoors and exploring a variety of “scapes” around Sydney, including the coastal fringe and Centennial Park.

Annabel studied Arts/Law at ANU and worked in telecommunications litigation in Sydney before a career change saw her leave law to pursue her passion for painting. Since graduating from the National Art School with Honours, her art has been exhibited widely in Australia and overseas. She is represented by Stella Downer Fine Art.

1. Joanna Barrett overlooking Kata Tjuta.

2. Little Yellow Van, Centennial Park from Annabel Butler’s 2021 collection.

husband

1. 2. 3. THE GRAMMAR REPORT

Margaret Cornwell OAM (1951) has been keeping herself busy through lockdowns and restrictions making jams and marmalades for the community and working in her garden. Along with her yearly contributions to the Grammarians’ garden stall at the School Fete, she also volunteers at the Old Parliament Rose Garden each Thursday morning. She and her husband recently enjoyed a cruise up the east coast of Tasmania, visiting Flinders Island and King Island before finishing in Melbourne.

Tallulah Farrow (2018) is extending her floristry studies and passion for gardening through her new business, the Plant Hotel. Initially intended as a way for people to ensure their beloved indoor plants will be well-looked after when they go away, the Plant Hotel has since expanded to include commercial plant maintenance and earned a feature on ABC Radio.

After the tragic death of a friend in a drowning accident, Annie Gao (2015) and a group of friends have joined forces with Royal Life Saving Australia to found the Refugee and Migrant Swimming Project (RMSP). As Canberra’s first dedicated swim program for people of

refugee and migrant background, RMSP aims to provide culturally-sensitive and trauma-informed swimming lessons to international arrivals who may not have had the opportunity to learn water safety before. The Program has received a huge amount of community support since launching earlier this year with high hopes for the future. You can connect with the Refugee and Migrant Swimming Project on Facebook or via email at rmsp@outlook.com.au

Sasha Kovic (2004) has been announced as the new Chair of St Andrew’s College Council at the University of Sydney. Sasha’s historic appointment makes her the first female and youngest Chair of the once all-male college, in the same year as the College also celebrates 20 Years of Undergraduate Women with an all-female student executive.

Capella Maguire (2017) achieved her Bachelor of Medical Science with First Class Honours and a University Medal at her ANU graduation ceremony this February. After years of earning athletics and cross country medals at CGGS, she says her Honours year felt like running a marathon!

Her Honours project explored the role of the mitochondrion in central carbon metabolism in the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Capella is grateful for the wonderful support and mentorship from the van Dooren Group at ANU’s Research School of Biology, who helped her achieve this outstanding result. Her research into the metabolism of Toxoplasma gondii will continue with her PhD studies, for which she has earned a scholarship.

1. Sasha Kovic

2. Capella Maguire at her graduation ceremony.

3. Lisa Moore in performance.

4. Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran

5. Jessica Stanley

Shankari Nadanachandran’s (1992) third novel, Chai Time at Cinnamon Gardens, was released this year by Ultimo Press. The novel is set in a nursing home in a fictional Western Sydney suburb against the backdrop of rising racism in Australia, exploring what it means to be Australian and who gets to decide. It’s about family and memory, community and race, and ultimately is a love letter to storytelling and the relationships we create through it. Chai Time also contains a tribute to her Year 5 teacher at CGGS, Josephine Vandermark, who told her to “just keep writing”.

Shankari’s first novel, Song of the Sun God, will be republished in Australia this year as she works on her third novel in between COVID outbreaks, raising her children and working as a lawyer.

Nell Pierce (2005) was awarded the 2022 Vogel Literary Award for her novel A Place Near Eden. This is Australia’s most prestigious prize for an unpublished manuscript for a writer under 35 years of age, and has helped launched the careers of some of Australia’s most successful writers. Congratulations Nell!

Jessica Stanley (1999) has published her debut novel with Picador. Set in Melbourne and Canberra between two landmark federal elections, A Great Hope is a family saga with a mystery at its heart. Annabel Crabbe wrote: “Just pages into this book, I felt the electric jolt that accompanies the discovery of a serious new talent. A Great Hope is a genuine literary page-turner that satisfies until the last paragraph.”

Jessica lives in London with her husband and three children.

Despite the hardships of COVID-19, Nipuni (Nip) Wijewickrema (2010) is standing strong with her family-owned floristry business, GG’s Flowers in Farrer. GG’s Flowers is an NDIS provider employing people with special needs to support people like Nipuni’s sister, Gayana, who has Down Syndrome. GG’s Flowers has previously been named among Canberra’s top florists, and Nip herself was awarded ACT Young Australian of the Year in 2016 for her socially-minded entrepreneurship.

WEDDINGS

Rachel Colwell (2002) married Timothy Naylor on 17 April 2021 at St Paul’s Anglican Church in Manuka. It was a beautiful day attended by family and friends.

Rachael Karras (Richards, 2011) married Joshua Karras at the St Marks Coptic Orthodox Church in Sydney last June. Rachael and Joshua met while studying at UNSW and now work with KPMG and the United Nations Association of Australia respectively. They are expecting their first child.

Amy Crowe (Greentree, 2009) and Matt Crowe welcomed Oliver ‘Ollie’ Paul Crowe on 14 June 2021.

BIRTHS

Shaan Lewis (1995) married Kerry Cooke this February in a small ceremony at Melbourne’s Fitzroy Gardens. Shaan and Kerry have been together for 18 years and live in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges with their three Labradors and two cats.

1. Karras wedding 2. Oliver “Ollie” Paul Crowe 3. Charlotte Marshall with son Edward and fiance Sam. 4. Bethany, Cameron and Elouise.

Though they have sadly had to delay their wedding three times due to COVID restrictions, Charlotte Marshall (2008) and her fiance Sam were delighted to welcome their son Edward in November 2021.

Bethany Lee (2007) and her partner Cameron are ecstatic to announce the arrival of their first child, Elouise Taylor Lee Chapllin, on April 24th. To arrive in style, Elouise decided an emergency C-section and brief NICU stay were in order. Mum and baby are now home and well.

VALE

Jennifer Bowles (2002) passed away on 23 December 2021. Jennifer was ACT Dux and a keen debater during her time at CGGS, and later worked with the Anorexia Nervosa Genetics Initiative at Brisbane’s QIMR Berhofer Medical Research Institute.

Freda Eileen “Pixie” Gray OAM on 12 February 2022. Pixie taught music at the Junior School in the 1990s and is fondly remembered for her love of music.

Jim Notaras passed away on 28 December 2021. The Notaras family has been a huge part of the CGGS community for decades, with three generations of young women being educated at the School. Jim was a

Evelyn Murfin passed away from pneumonia on 13 December 2021 at the age of 96. Evelyn began working at CGGS in 1962 and filled a variety of roles over decades of service, including as a Religion, English and History teacher, Head of Waverley House, Boarding House mistress and the founder of the School’s archives in 1982. Her strong connection and invaluable contributions to the School were recognised when she became an Honorary Grammarian.

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member of the Gabriel Foundation, the Gabriel Foundation Finance Committee and a generous donor to the School. His dedication to girls’ education and community service will be remembered.

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2. Jim Notaras

Known fondly as “Murf”, Evelyn was a passionate teacher known for her sense of humour and dedication to girls’ education and wellbeing. Primula Caroline Thompson (1963) remembers Evelyn’s teaching in Religious Instruction as especially enlightening, and revolutionary for the time:

In the 1960s, Canberra Church of England Girls Grammar School employed Miss Murfin to teach Religious Instruction.

For girls in secondary school, these classes were enlightening. Over time, many topics were discussed: war and peace, feast and famine, floods and fires, and life itself – all under the guise of the Anglican Church.

Sex was openly discussed. Miss Murfin mentioned various types of contraception and how not to have a baby.

The Pill and its use was scientifically examined – verbally – as well as how it gave women control over their bodies. Miss Murfin made us realise that it was okay to say “no”.

These were bold concepts in Swinging 60s Canberra, where abortions were not only not mentioned but illegal.

“Murf” explained to us, as school students, that to get hold of the Pill one needed to be married or have a doctor’s prescription. She said the Pill was the future and would save women from having unwanted children.

As teenagers, the information she imparted to us was like gold – to be remembered and stores for future use.

When attending my 50th School anniversary in 2013, mingling over tea and sandwiches, who should appear but an elderly Murf – cheerful and chatty.

Sixty years later, her lasting wisdom is magic and realistic, indelibly etched in my mind.

Women are in charge of their own bodies, and to hell with what politicians and religious groups worldwide say.

Vale Murf.

Above: Former CGGS teachers Ann Bozosky, Evelyn Murfin and Val Dunnin in 1989.

Pixie Gray celebrating with students in 1991.

with his wife Sophia, daughter Eleni, and granddaughters Jaime and Sophie.

Former Headmistress

Una Hayston Mitchell

Though the chaos of the last few years has proven a new challenge for most of us, it is not the first time Canberra Girls Grammar School has weathered hardship and uncertainty. When the Great Depression threatened to close the School in the 1930s, it was purchased by a dedicated group of parents to ensure its survival; when war broke out across the world for the second time in 1939, the School was stewarded with clear-eyed courage and unflinching practicality by then Headmistress Una Hayston Mitchell.

Above: Students gather in the Boarding House courtyard for the opening of the Mitchell Wing in 1980.

Born in Perth in 1900, Una was the daughter of eccentric mining engineer John Hayston Mitchell and his fourth wife, Florence Raddenberry Olney. When she was nine years old, Una joined the “silver chain” of children across Western Australia who wrote to the Western Mail’s Aunt Mary column sharing stories of their lives. Here, Una confessed that she had been four years old before she met another child, and showed an already rigid moral backbone with a short story about a mouse whose arrogance and greed caused the death of his siblings.

From the remote mining town of Murrin Murrin, Una soon moved to nearby Kalgoorlie and then to Perth for her education, where she showed an aptitude for science. She earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Australia and quickly put herself to work teaching Geography, Geology, Physics and Chemistry in girls’ schools from Adelaide to Melbourne. By the time she arrived at CGGS in 1937, Una had an established reputation as an exceptional educator.

During her 10 years as Headmistress, she never missed a beat when it came to ensuring her students' education met the highest possible standard. Though she was trained in Maths and Physics, she became a Biology teacher by necessity and taught with a passion that was soon passed on to her students. She organised excursions to catch frogs in the pond by The Lodge for dissection and visits from dance teachers to encourage young women to explore their creative sides. When war came in 1939, the boarders rolled up their sleeves to help with day-to-day domestic tasks and Una worked right alongside them: together they peeled potatoes, ironed blouses and even prepared blackout curtains for air-raid drills.

Students remembered her as a formidable presence around the School. “She could be terrifying,” said one student, with “a habit of turning up when you least wanted her to”. For many, though, her disappointment was punishment enough: Una not only expected the best from her students but

believed they were capable of it, and that faith proved irresistible to those who worked hard to prove her right.

Though described in her own words as “exacting”, Headmistress Mitchell’s teaching philosophy may be one of the earliest examples of what CGGS continues to believe in today: the education of the whole student. As she wrote in 1941:

Never content to let them rest on smarts or charm, Una instilled in each of her students a sense of integrity, curiosity and adventure that stayed with them well beyond their school years. Her commitment to preparing young women for the world, especially in times of worldwide upheaval and change, is a powerful legacy that is reflected across our community today.

Una Mitchell passed away in 1983, having left her mark on schools across Australia. At Canberra Girls Grammar School, she is remembered by the Mitchell Wing of the Boarding House. Opened in 1980 by then Governor-General Sir Zelman Cowen, the Mitchell Wing overlooks the School oval on one side and the Boarding House courtyard on the other and is home to Year 12 boarders preparing to take on the world. With such a legacy as Una’s, they are surely in good hands.

1. Headmistress Una Mitchell.

2. Headmistress Una Mitchell with the Year 12 Class of 1945.

“The tempo of world affairs has quickened so enormously in the last few years that children now at school must develop an alertness of mind and resourcefulness that mere book learning alone cannot give.”

Thank you

Giving to CGGS

As advocates for the empowerment of children and young women since 1926, Canberra Girls Grammar School embodies modern thinking at a time when gender equity, inclusion, and diversity are essential to a healthy, prosperous society. Our values and principles guide the way we work, building a cultural fabric that is stronger than any single individual and true to our founding purpose.

Your gift allows Canberra Girls Grammar School to fulfil its vision to be a school where the young believe anything is possible. It can open up opportunities for our young women to discover answers that are currently beyond our imagination and develop new skills that will serve them in a future yet to be created.

You can donate now at cggs.act.edu.au/ our-community/the-gabriel-foundation

We thank the generous

that have worked with us to help build a sustainable future for CGGS.

We are creating a world where young women

never stop believing that anything is possible.

We are creating a world where young women never stop

believing that anything is possible.