A hair-raising fundraising record

The 2021 St Margaret’s Ponytail Project broke new records with 137 ponytails donated to Real Fringe Hairbands and $121,155 raised for Cancer Council Queensland and the Minotti Trust. For the second consecutive year, a group of teachers joined the students in cutting their ponytails and fundraising for the cause. Since its inception in 2015, this entirely student-led initiative has raised almost half a million dollars for Queenslanders affected by cancer. In fact, so significant has been the impact of the Ponytail Project, in 2019 the Cancer Council Queensland adopted the campaign encouraging schools across the state to involve their students in the cause.

Principal Ros Curtis said the Ponytail Project is a powerful display of how empowering students to give back leads to an extraordinary outcome. ‘Each year, we see the girls motivated to give back and inspired to actively contribute in this most significant way. It is very empowering for them to experience how their contribution can make a real difference. The act of cutting their own hair is tangible and enhances the girls’ gratitude. The project also helps to develop students’ philanthropic mindset and inspires the girls to continue to give back to the communities in which they live and will one day work,’ Ros said. For 2021 School Captain Zara Campbell, last year was her fourth year participating in the Ponytail Project and she said philanthropic opportunities are ingrained in St Margaret’s philosophy and throughout its history. ‘Since St Margaret’s began, the Sisters of the Society of the Sacred Advent have always highlighted the importance of service to the community through their educational and social endeavours. Indeed, these values still strongly underpin the St Margaret’s community to this day, and, through acts of service like the Ponytail Project, students are able to realise that we can not only have a massive impact on society, but we are also continuing the Sisters’ legacy,’ Zara said.