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YOUNG ASPIRING POET Diocesan School for Girls was honoured to host the official launch of Spring Clean on Friday 6 September, a self-published book that comes from the heart and mind of one of our amazing Year 12 girls, Sabreen Islam. “Spring Clean is a collection of poetry about self-love and growth”, says Sabreen. “It’s about the journey to finding the best version of yourself through the balance of holding on and letting go.” Divided into winter and spring, Spring Clean begins with the bitterness of winter, and ends as it melts into the delicate flowers of spring, addressing themes of adolescence, bullying, abuse, self-love, mental health and healing. Sabreen was inspired by styles and writers of modern poetry such as Rupi Kaur (Milk and Honey), Atticus (Love Her Wild) and Faraway (Sad Birds Still Sing). This is Sabreen Islam’s debut collection of poetry – ‘for the dreamers and the hopeless and for those who cannot help but live by their hearts, even when they guide them wrong’. This is not Sabreen’s first book. Despite only being 16 years old, she has written several books on online platforms, which have garnered hundreds and thousands of readers. Spring Clean however, is her first published book and has been available online and as an e-book since earlier this year. Spring Clean is illustrated by Year 12 Dio student Alice Waldow. We are immensely proud and impressed by Sabreen’s creativity, grace and generosity of spirt in sharing her beautiful words and ideas with the world. I, for one, look forward to reading her future writing endeavours, which include an upcoming science-fiction novel. Paige Zinn, English Department
MENTOR TO STUDENT WRITERS
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Leaving Dio in November, Isabel Michell has contributed to the journeys of many talented young writers at Dio.
of experience, combined with her academic rigour, that has made her an invaluable member of our School staff.
Isabel came to Dio as a beginning teacher in 2012. This is a misnomer, however, as she already had extensive experience teaching in the tertiary sector after completing her PhD in New Zealand Literature in 2007. Isabel is widely accomplished, having been employed in many guises in her life – from short-order cook, to journalist, to mum at home. It is this richness
If education’s worth can be measured not in syllabi or exam results, Isabel is the kind of teacher that parents dream of, opening up the treasures of literature and art to a tech generation. In recent times Isabel has herself become a published author; next month appearing in the New Zealand journal Sport, with a story entitled Lame. Jane Hart, English Department
DIO TODAY
